Six of the best for the 2024 Venice Biennale

Six Zimbabwean artists will exhibit at the seventh consecutive Pavilion of Zimbabwe at the 60th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia 2024. This is Zimbabwe’s seventh consecutive staging of the show, a successful streak for an African country at this world-renowned platform.

Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, the Honourable Dr. Kirsty Coventry announced the contingent in June and hinted that it is a career launch pad and an opportunity for cultural engagement.

“As Government, we have seen many careers flourish from this platform. In line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), this platform has been critical in the image building and persuasion of international cooperation and it offers new engagement in the cultural sphere,” she said.

The Ambassador of Italy, His Excellency Umberto Malnati weighed in saying “Our Embassy has observed the Pavilion of Zimbabwe gaining momentum continuously since 2011, and we appreciate the strengthening of Cultural bridges which are being built between our two countries.”

The artists are Gillian Rosselli, Sekai Machache, Victor Nyakauru, Moffat Takadiwa, Kombo Chapfika and Troy Makaza. The artists will exhibit in Venice, Italy under the auspices of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe from the 20th of April to the 24th of November 2024.

The Pavilion of Zimbabwe Commissioner will be the Executive Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Raphael Chikukwa. Fadzai. Veronica Muchemwa will curate the Zimbabwean exhibition.

La Biennale di Venezia is curated by Brazil’s Adriano Pedrosa, director of MASP, the São Paulo Museum of Art. In late June this year, he announced “Stranieri Ovunque - Foreigners Everywhere” as the theme for the exhibition.

“In this landscape, the phrase ‘Foreigners Everywhere’ has a dual meaning. First of all, wherever you go and wherever you are you will always encounter foreigners; they/we are everywhere. Secondly, no matter where you find yourself, you are always, truly, and deep down inside, a foreigner,” Pedrosa said.

Since its inauguration, the Pavilion of Zimbabwe has seen some of its alumni such as Portia Zvavahera, Virginia Chihota and Misheck Masamvu as well as Gareth Nyandoro having their work on various highprofile exhibitions globally. Masimba Hwati, Dana Whabira and Kresiah Mukwazhi, Wallen Mapondera and Ronald Muchatuta have also gained world renown as a result of the Pavilion.

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe was established in 1957 and is dedicated to the presentation and conservation of Zimbabwe’s contemporary, modern art and visual heritage. It has regional galleries in Bulawayo and Mutare.