Starting May 30, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe will host “Portraits of Zimbabwe,” an exhibit featuring more than 80 photographic prints by the late photographer Chicago Dzviti.
The portraits of Zimbabwe have been brought about through the support of the U.S. Embassy.
The exhibition will be jointly curated by Jennifer Kyker, who serves as an associate professor of ethnomusicology at the Eastman School of Music and also holds an appointment as an associate professor of music within the College Music Department at the University of Rochester, along with Fadzai Muchemwa, who works as the curator of contemporary art at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.
Dzviti was born in Shamva in 1961, and from those rural beginnings, he cultivated a passion for photography. This interest led him to pursue formal training at Harare Polytechnic starting in 1987.
This signaled the start of a nearly ten-year-long career that was notable for vividly portraying Zimbabwean life. The work captured societal aspects, customs, traditions, and social positions with strong impartiality, equally depicting urban, suburban, and rural experiences.
Dzviti’s work highlights the renowned individual within the public sphere, alongside the common person.
This collection centers around the timeframe extending from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, providing insight into life during the foundational era of the postcolonial period. It documents the daily experiences of earlier generations, potentially acting as a historical snapshot for younger Zimbabweans today.
Founded in 1957, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe located in Harare serves as a museum focused on showcasing and protecting Zimbabwe’s contemporary and modern art along with its visual legacy.
It currently boasts two additional regional galleries in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, with Harare serving as the headquarters.
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