Today we will share the discussion that was made in 2007, with the late Thandekile Zozi, (Midlands National Arts Council (NACZ) administrator, about the challenges artist faces in displaying their artifacts in the Midlands province. This interview was conducted by Caven Masuku and was broadcasted at Midlands State University.
Mrs Zozi discussed with Caven Masuku the former “Business Express Newspaper” senior reporter , who also maintain the arts and entertainment news column in 2007. Zozi indicated their plans to address these challenges to assist the Midlands province artist to improve their products.
Q. Mrs Zozi could you please give us your background for the benefit of our listener
A. Well my full name is Thandekile Zozi, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Manger in the Midlands Province. I used to be a high school teacher in 1987-1989 after completing my studies at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ). From 1989-1995 I worked as a literature Bureau Editor. In 2000-2001 I once worked as an Editor at Mambo Press. I used to edit both English and isiNdebele books. I left Mambo Press in 2001 and joined the NACZ as the Arts Manager in the Midlands Province.
Q. Mrs Zozi how are the artist performance in Midlands Province?
A. There is not real much at the moment because we do not have full time artist who are devoted school leavers with nothing to do and think they can do art to while up their time. They are just but few who are devoted and who know exactly what they want in arts industry.
Q. Mrs Zozi why do we not have an Art Gallery Center in Midlands province?
A. Thank you so much Mr Masuku, that’s a good question especially to the NACZ as an art oriented organization. That is the government duty my brother! Perhaps what I can say is that Gweru is unfortunate as compared to other cities. Harare, Bulawayo do have arts Gallery Center. I do not know why not Gweru! Probably since there is military museum the government would have seen it not necessary to build one. Nacz as an art oriented organization realized that and at one time we approached the former Gweru mayor Sesil Zvidzai, but no response was given. Artists went in person to the former mayor and were promised to be shown the site up until now nothing has materialized. An art center will be a good move to the Midlands artists. This will enable them to show case their products. In Zvishavane which is part of Midlands they have a craft center for the artist and this was built through the money donated by the German embassy. I wish Gweru if they could to have a similar art center. Zvishavane Center is well established and is an ideal place to work with the artist. I have requested the Gweru City Council to give us Gweru Theatre as an art gallery Center, which has been turned for church services, instead of arts but they refused.
Q. Don’t you think that Midlands Artists are short changed for not having such facility that can improve their artistic prowess?
A. Yes! What you are saying makes sense and is true somehow. Well artist are disadvantaged since they do not have a place to display their talent Artist should have the place of their own to operate in. Gweru theatre is more central and convenient and only if we can get a place that is central, that will be a stride to the Midlands artist.
Q. Have you got any plan as an organization to construct an art center in Gweru?
A. Oh! Yes! If the City fathers give us the site, but again as I said before the government is the one that should carry such project not NACZ
Q. In Gweru do we have sculptors and painting artist who match the international standards?
A. Yes we do! Coaster Mkoki have won several international awards. He is a sculptor and uses stones and scrape metal. As I am speaking he is in South Africa for exhibition. Tapfuma Gutswa from Shurugwi is also good and is in Austria for exhibition. Forbes Muchipe who does wood curving and frames has won several regional and international awards. Gutsa does his art with his wife they are all good.
Q. What other challenges are faced by the Midlands artist?
A. Most artist so far in Midlands, particularly in Gweru are immature and they do not realize that art is a career. They spend most of their time waiting for programs from the NACZ office yet NACZ is just there to assist and to facilitate financial needs of them. Zimbabwean public are not buying public art products, in fact the foreigners are the ones who do consume these products.
Q. What do you think should be done to address those challenges?
A. There is need to educate artist and that is upon themselves to take art seriously. Again NACZ have a task to facilitate workshops. Exhibitions will enable artist to meet each other and share ideas. Exchange programs like residence also will assist artist to decide their destiny and creating relationship and networking in the arts fraternity.
Q. Social, political, cultural and economical, how does artist contribute the economic turn- around of Zimbabwean economy?
A. What is not art? Art touches every sphere of life. They is need to do research and to document them about the arts products that embodies the above mentioned aspect. From my history arts and music contribute immensely to our economy .Artist should start gearing themselves towards 2010 South Africa World Cup. A certain sculptor from Mvuma area entered NAMA competitions submitted a sculptor which glances 2010 football world cup competitions to be conducted in South Africa.
Q. what other activities should be done to ameliorate arts industry in Gweru particularly and Zimbabwe in general?
A.Zimbabwe publics do not appreciate art as an industry. Art is looked down upon as a degraded profession and is regarded as for the uneducated. One Shona term used to tell the whole essence is “ROMBE” meaning poor. Artist themselves carries this label by appearing scruffy. Not knowing that business people like dealing with trustworthy, respected and well representative individuals. Trust is build through appearance. Artists do not bath themselves and stinks and they are perceived as the uncivilized in the society. Apart from that most artist from Gweru are skilled but lacks anxiety to showcase themselves and their art facts. It is my wish for Gweru to have a gallery like Amakhosi .
Q. what are your views in introducing Arts in the education curriculum?
A. Actually some schools around have started art as a subject. Though at the moment it is rife to the primary schools. They are need to recognize that art is more than drawing and singing. Midlands State University (MSU), under the faculty of social sciences offers a degree in musicology which is good. It is not always the case that people should be academic to become artist. Anyone can assimilate and accommodate artistic skills and there is no need to practice “bottle neck” system for inert art ability. Art creates employment. Cecil John Rhodes does music and art from grade one right up to grade seven and writes internal exams set by their teachers. Mkoba secondary school teaches arts and music from Form one to Four as well as Mkoba 3 Secondary, which currently have six classes for music and four classes for arts. Many schools have shortage of teachers for music and arts.
Q. what other programs have you been assisting Midlands artist to cultivate their talent(s)
A. We facilitate for a place/ stand for exhibition on their behalf at the Midlands Show ground. In addition, we organize the intershops at Zimbabwe International Trade Fare (ZITF) in Bulawayo, as a marketing strategy for them. We also organize regional workshops for them to places like Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa. We also facilitate residence programs, processing passport for the NAMA competition held out of the country. We also organize local competitions that are held annually which are meant to promote artists and art industry in Zimbabwe. At the moment this effort is not appealing to artist, but hope that it will be appealing very soon.
Q. How is your relation with the media in an attempt to improve the art discipline?
A. Our relationship with the media is super at the moment. We work at close hand and they assist us to publish our programs in their papers. The Times, The Business Express and the Zimpapers have given us space several times to place our material in their papers. This enables us to reach our rural audiences especially in remote areas. However, we are craving for more coverage from Zimbabwe Television (ZTV) that it is at national level and other electronically media such as the local radio stations. Currently I will safely say that electronic media is letting us down and we need their support to reach wide audiences especially in rural areas. Another problem encountered so far by NACZ is that we have no offices in rural areas. This is supposed to be a field work yet we are always confined in the office. How would we talk to the custodians of our culture, our elders who are in rural areas? I wish if NACZ provides more resources to buy cars for travelling and acquiring offices in rural areas. It is and has been my wish to be out there gathering information from rural folks.
