Zimbabwean artist Troy Makaza executes his works using a unique, pigment-infused silicone. Specifically created for the exhibition, his contemporary work Mutiwaora – a Shona name loosely translated as "decayed tree" – was inspired by a visit to a mountain in Nyamuzuwe, a rural area in Zimbabwe.
“What really surprised me is that, at the entrance to a cave located in that mountain, there were rock paintings,” recalled Makaza. “Rock art is perceived as recordings of a simple, yet socially complex, way of life. I had a transformative experience as I was praying in that cave. I could feel a connection to something bigger than my own understanding. The work itself shows my translation of this spiritual encounter at the mountain.
“This exhibition gave me a chance to reflect on my spirituality. In Zimbabwe, African traditional religion is only practised by a few because it is demonised, due to the mysticism associated with it. My preferred working palette is usually bright and vibrant but, in this case, I made it softer and pale with tonal variations, to suggest a devaluation of knowledge lost through time.”
Article by: Robert McKelvey
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October 1, 2024
