'Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions'

Zimbabwe Wed 18-08-2010

'Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions'
By Stephen Garan'anga | AfricanColours.com

A young critical art space offering contemporary artists a much needed platform to showcase their abilities, 'Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions' (D.A.I.) is an artists’ resource centre and a meeting place situated along the Bulawayo road, just 23km outside Harare.

Affectionately known as 'DAI', the centre lies between the Lion Cheetah Park and the Snake World, in a natural environment of grassland, tall trees and massive rocks. Hidden away from all urban and city hustles it is an ideal venue for artistic and cultural endeavours.

Print by Virginia Chihota

D.A.I is directed by co-founder, Chikonzero Chazunguza (MFA Bulg.) who is an art lecturer at the Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts (ZIVA). Chikonzero is an extraordinary native Zimbabwean artist whose work is inspired by the "collective" of family, community, and government and has taught at Harare Polytechnic, Chinhoyi University of Technology and the University of Zimbabwe for years to become an inspiration to many.

D.A.I has a team of eight art graduates and students who tirelessly work on their various projects whilst numerous others are involved at various times with specific programmes. The dedicated board of art loving co-founders and directors includes Romeo Sabawo [mbira player, automotive technician] and Jonathan Dube [herbalist, marine and instruments technician]. With their technical background and professions, Romeo and Jonathan ensure the fluent running of all projects.

Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions' mission is to assist visual artists in acquiring a variety of skills and techniques in various media. They want artists to realize their creative abilities without encountering too many technical challenges and limitations, and to be able to cross over to the making of applied [functional] objects.

Print by Unknown Artist | Photo by S. Garan'anga

D.A.I's vision is to become a leading show casing centre of contemporary African-Zimbabwean art and to be a formidable force in the production of high level art and applied crafts.

This will include prototype inventions to be patented, ready for industrial mass-production and marketing, and to be a major catalyst for connecting people and ideas through art. To date D.A.I has organized mentorship workshops, numerous outreach and artists-in-residency programmes and art exhibitions.

In residency they are currently hosting Jimmy Green, a Canadian artist who gave an interesting interview that can be accessed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiwSeMolYUg and are concurrently showing a print exhibition celebrating the art of print-making which has become an annual event since 2009.

Dzimbanhete Print Show | Photo by S. Garan'anga

• DAI has collaborated with Musoromuchena Skills for Life Projects and organised a six day children’s workshop and an exhibition at West Ranch Primary School of Makonde District from 15-20 February 2010.

• In association with the Greatmore Studios, an exhibition of prints at the Greatmore Studios in Cape Town, South Africa was hosted from 29 October to 13 November 2009.

• Funded by the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust, DAI facilitated two workshops and an exhibition; a casting workshop from 24 August to 5 September 2009, a screen print workshop from 11-25 May 2009 and the DAI Month of Printmaking exhibition of prints at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe from 22-31 May 2009. They have also hosted a solo art exhibition of mixed media works by Munyaradzi Mazarire on his final project for his Bachelor of Technology Hon Degree in Creative Art and Design with the Chinhoyi University of Technology from 24 July to 31 August 2009.

• Assisted Fimin Eddy, an artist from Guadeloupe on a residency programme, to make fibre glass moulds and foam castings from 2 June - 2 July 2009,

• Facilitated a children’s workshop, introducing printing to pupils from a local primary school; Hebert Chitepo on 15 and 16 April 2009,

• Hosted a two week Card Print Workshop in collaboration with Batapata International Artists Workshops from 15-26 September 2008, which was facilitated by Ndasunye Shikongeni (Director of John Mafengejo Arts Centre of Namibia)

• Hosted an exhibition of an industrial design project by Gareth Nyandoro on his final project for his Bachelor of Technology Hon Degree in Creative Art and Design with the Chinhoyi University of Technology on 26 July 2008,

• In collaboration with the Lion and Cheetah Park visitors were given the interactive opportunity to produce paintings inspired by their visit to this hypnotising game park in March 2009 and

• DAI began with experimental workshops that aimed to see the production of art works as an industrial process. ‘Wildlife’ was our first theme which saw the production of 5minute paintings of animals and birds.

• Also a recording company, Grace Records, shot a video at the centre, for their client, in November of 2009,

• Maungira eNharira Mbira Group shot videos for their release ‘Nhoroondo’ in October 2008 and

• Savannah Arts Trust was accommodated at the centre when they conducted their drama performances out reach programme in the neighbourhood in April of 2007.

Along these very practical interactions, D.A.I facilitates other stimulating and informative workshops and talks, delivered by invited specialists. Selected topics include gender awareness and images, advocacy and lobbying for artists, environmental awareness and art, and public relations for artists.

Dzimbanhete Print Show | Photo by S. Garan'anga

Dzimbanhete Print Exhibition | Photo by S. Garan'anga

Workshops at DAI are designed to expose fine artists to high-craft industrial techniques. Workshops will be 2 weeks long each and will be facilitated by selected artists or professionals from the technical field [local or visiting] who have excelled in a particular technique.

DAI will provide basic materials, lodging and food for all workshops, but participants will be expected to pay a stipulated participation fee and they will also be expected to take care of their travel expenses. Participants will be urged to submit proposals of projects they intend to carry out during the respective workshop.

Most of our artists are informally trained and therefore lack in the technical side of the media they use for expressing themselves. DAI maintains that it is not bad welding that makes metal sculpture good or “Afrikan”, nor is it bad application of paint that makes paintings good.

Dzimbanhete Print Exhibition | Photo by S. Garan'anga

Neither should it be fear of machinery that impels an artist to use hammers and chisels where they could be using grinders. The visual arts, inventions and gadgets in Zimbabwe are not closely linked to the modern-day.

The past few years, however, have seen Zimbabweans being much innovative than ever before. We have seen people making the liquid packers, sadza makers, peanut butter grinders, oil squeezing apparatus, brick moulding casts and even some much more sophisticated gadgets.

These functional objects are, however, crudely made and not so appealing to look at. Hence they are not marketable beyond the small communities in which they are made. Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions strongly feel that artists, with their passion for visual form, their understanding of other visual principles, once introduced to various types of working media, can become an asset to this invention.

Dzimbanhete Print Exhibition | Photo by S. Garan'anga

In this way artists can become more technically competent and versatile. Artists need to be able to be creative without encountering too many technical challenges, and to be able to cross over to the making of applied objects.

With such a programme they foresee the production of higher fine art pieces and applied crafts which do not just narrate reality, but point out new directions and new solutions in the visual arts and the production industry. DAI envisage the development of prototype inventions, ready for industrial production and marketing. They envisage the production of monumental artworks created from skills borrowed from architecture and engineering.

Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions have a self sustenance plan that is based on income to be generated from participation fees, and the sale of artworks produced on workshops and programmes in our gallery. DAI will also charge a fee to groups of artists for tailor-made workshops.

Dzimbanhete Print Exhibition | Photo by S. Garan'anga

They have the capacity through these workshops to produce merchandise such as t-shirts, bags, folders, advertisements and to execute artistic commissions.

Income will also be realised from the provision of services such as internet services, coffee shop sales, rentals for studios and exhibition spaces, and performances. With internet service at DAI centre they will be able to advertise their products and services as well improve on networking.

DAI wish to remain a growing force in the contemporary art world of Zimbabwe, and are grateful for all the support received to date from the Zimbabwean arts and culture sector.

Amongst several other programmes lined up are mentorship workshops for visual artists on metal fabrication, architecture and construction, wood technology, glass blowing techniques, industrial designing and jewellery making.

On course in the second half of 2010, Dai intends to launch a continuation of this programme that will see invited artists equipped with skills coming in to produce art works and products of their choice that are in line with DAI objectives. DAI will further strengthen the relationship between artists and the production industry as artists will be producing among their fine art pieces, functional objects.

Theme specific shows will complement the residency programmes. Special invitations will be extended to competitive artists from all over the world. They also intend to host weekly traditional music performances offering traditional meals to their guests.

They therefore need to secure funds to build up their capacity to deliver efficient, professional and sustainable services and products to Zimbabwean artists and art lovers across the globe.

Crucial at the moment is the acquisition of an internet service and a coffee shop at the centre, a reliable vehicle to provide transport, and rooms for art studios, exhibitions, offices and guest lodgings. They also need to purchase more relevant machinery, tools, equipment and the working materials.

Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions would be appreciative of any advice or assistance that may be offered to them from any part of the world. For a three year old, DAI's accomplishments are remarkable and their future is something to look forward to.

Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions
P. O. Box HR 779; Harare
mobiles: +263913 229 043, +263912 492 448, +263912 339 667
Emails: dzimbanhete@gmail.com, rsabawo@gmail.com, chikonzero@gmail.com, goredemajonathan@yahoo.com

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Your Comments

Ed Cross: Great to read about this - but one compaint - please try and attribute the print - its not fair on the artist - it could well be that it is by Virginia Chihota - who is an outstanding young artist from Harare with a print background - can someone confirm if it is by her??

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