The problem with looking at a painting or a piece of art, usually hinges on the unnecessary pressure of getting the perception intended by the artist correct. For the common person this unwarranted pressure has resulted in millions of people around the world behaving like sheep, being herded unknowingly towards art that they think is considered acceptable by society.
What Makes Zimbabwean Art Any Different?
For example walking into a Munyaradzi Mazarire exhibition of three-dimensional objects and sculptures aptly named “Elaborations”, let me assure you that the fear of being overwhelmed by the artwork quickly dissipates when you see “Empty News”, a three dimensional impression of a wheelbarrow made out of newspaper clippings and appearing to somewhat move, depending of course, on whatever your vantage point is, when viewing the piece.
Why Munyaradzi Mazarire’s Work, Whats So Special About Him?
Most of his artwork combines local newspapers and regular day common objects, all meant to drive home a certain point that your own subjective mind is guaranteed to pick up on. Munyaradzi Mazarire is definitely somewhat of a surrealist at heart and one can feel Salvador Dali’s spirit permeating throughout, the many pieces of artwork dotted within Delta Galley, every piece provokes a subconscious question yet gives no answer or guide on how our own minds, will construct the question let alone answer it.
What Is Surrealism?
Surrealism for a lay person is the manner in which an artist tries to invoke the subconscious within a person by using disparate and unrelated objects, somewhat like a n’anga or fortune teller, using common household items in order to unlock your deeper psyche. Though surrealism initially was said to be based, on shocking the mind into a state of retrieving its emotions through dreams, it has now developed into many variants and offshoots throughout the past decades.
Birthed out of the theories of Sigmund Freud’s philosophy on “the interpretation of dreams” , Munyaradzi Mazarire continues the legacy, by stoking the embers of our subconscious without revealing specifically the message that he is really trying to convey in his exhibition. Unlike Salvador Dali, Munyaradzi has no theatrical show or spectacle to further his pieces and is often at times not seen at all throughout the whole exhibition, which is currently being held until August, at the Delta Gallery along Livingston ave in Harare.
Why Is Munyaradzi Mazarire a surrealist?
Although none of his pieces show the sexuality usually attributed to mainstream surrealism, Mazarire instead leans on an underlying cultural ethnicity of being Zimbabwean which he manipulates to replace the expected shock and awe usually associated with sexual surrealism.
According to him, Mazarire’s quest is to fashion a two dimensional reality and fuse it within a three dimensional reality blurring the line where one no longer realizes when the fusion even occurred. Naming it “Zest Art” due to the way and manner that his art appears to be twisted when seen from a certain angle, Mazarire uses optical illusion in his art to draw the viewer into unlocking a deeper meaning. This is classic surrealism without the sexuality or the automatism often talked about when referring to surrealistic art.
Why Is This Relevant To You?
According to known surrealist’s like Rene Magritte; “The mind loves the unknown, it loves images whose meanings are unknown, since the meaning of the mind itself is unknown”. Walking into Delta gallery and slowly moving from one piece to another, sooner or later you start to feel as if Munyaradzi Mazarire is asking an actual fundamental question masked and enveloped within an enigma that only you, the viewer can figure out what its true meaning really is.
Surrealism is about taking your subjective mind and prodding the subjective side of your brain that hides sensitive information from you, unless you are dreaming. The problem with going to these galleries without a guide is that you are often left clueless about what the art is really about. Art exhibitions such as the ones sponsored by Delta Galleries in Harare, break this mould and help you understand the depth of art applicable from a Zimbabwean perspective since after all art should be universal in nature.
How Good Is His Exhibition?
If there would be a thought, one would have after viewing Munyaradzi Mazarire’s “Elaborations” exhibition, it would most likely be in regards to the amount of newspapers he uses for his artwork. Pay close attention to the title names of the pieces, and soon a story-line will begin to form in your mind.
In his piece “Words”, he combines a three dimensional box made out of newspaper clippings, which on approaching from a different direction within the gallery gives you a different impression depending on what news clipping you are reading as you view the box itself. Soon it dawns on you why the piece is called “Words”, because from every angle you see the three dimensional box, all you find yourself doing is reading local newspaper clippings which they themselves have a deeper meaning.
“Zviuya zvirimberi” is simply a three dimensional wall with a ladder lying against it. However on closer inspection, what seems to be a piece about overcoming hardships in the form of a wall and ladder starts to backfire on the viewer as they move their vantage point of the said piece. Looking closer the wall is actually leaning and dependent on the ladder for support and the jagged edge at the end of the wall, also begins to take on a deeper meaning as one realizes that the wall is actually old and worn out yet the ladder is brand new.
Is Salvador Dali In Zimbabwe?
Munyaradzi Mazarire captures the optical illusion commonly associated with surrealism, however it is obvious from his work that he still hasn’t decided to reveal to us, what really is on his mind. When speaking with him i found that he had the same ambiguous manner as his work, more comfortable with his thoughts than trying to explain to the rest of the world what he wanted to convey.
Although the art is not as dark or sexual in nature compared to Dali’s work, the viewer is still going to feel passions that leave a lot of unanswered questions inside you. A solid gallery exhibition to see for those of us who will be in, or reside within Harare, and want to experience Zimbabwean surrealism locally.
Tsungai Chipato is a journalist, and is also currently the creative director for a grassroots cultural online Zimbabwean organization called Bongogzozo. In order to reach him, contact him at [email protected]
