A look at time using imagery
Chiurai connects politics, history and challenges ideas
In his latest exhibition, highly respected Zimbabwean visual artist Kudzanai Chiurai questions the meaning of time.
The talented artist is exhibiting his latest body of work, We Live in Silence, at Goodman Gallery in Parkwood, Johannesburg. The exhibition, which opened on Thursday last week, consists of huge and striking photographs.
Goodman Gallery was packed during the opening, with art lovers mingling and enjoying a glass of wine. We Live in Silence marks the final installment in a three-part series that began with Revelations in 2011 and Genesis last year.
His work mixes a bit of theatre and art performances. Using photography, he questions, observes and reflects on political history, social issues and religion, using time as a link.
He also looks at the role of colonialism in Africa.
“Time is crucial to me. Its significance and what it means to us is important.
“For me, it is how time builds our memories, and the passing of time is the creation of our memories,” he explains.
Chiurai believes that religion occupies our time. “How do we understand the relationship we have with religion? It is significant to our history and memories, since it was part of the colonising process.”
He says his works require a lot of time and energy, especially the preparation.
In all of Chiurai’s work, the woman assumes the position of a leader, just to challenge stereotypes.
Though he uses familiar and warm colours like purple, there is a lot of intensity in his work. When preparing scenes, he features women and men, and decorates the scenes with plants and flowers.
He says he tries to subvert colonial art history in his work.
“If you remember, there are not many images of black people in art history. Through these works, I try to subvert art history and add a new language,” he says.
Since he deals with the archiving of history, his preparatory process begins with looking back to his previous works.
“I like to look at my previous works just to figure out things that I overlooked.”
Art lovers can also watch four films by Chiurai at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, tomorrow.