Tafadzwa Gwetai
‘‘SOKO Risina Musoro — a tale without a head’’ is the name of the Zimbabwean exhibition at the Venice Biennale 2019. The exhibition title was derived from the late Herbert Chitepo an African Nationalist who was the first black lawyer in the then Rhodesia now Zimbabwe. VaChitepo was a creative at heart and wrote a poem that captured the hearts and minds of many in the literary field. The poem is described as being an epic poem by virtue of its structure and long “epic” nature. What was even more significant was the fact that the poem was written in Shona at a time when Zimbabwe was yet to be born and at a time when African identity was evolving from colonial grips.
The poem is a narration of a traveller who is on a journey and has a potent message that can change the course of life. The poem creates a platform for dialogue and questions our existence in relation to our ancestors, challenges our very being as mortal beings and interrogates issues of African humanity and our origins. ‘‘Soko Risina Musoro — a tale without a head’’ exhibition is carefully woven into the 2019 Venice biennale overall theme is “we live in interesting times”. VaChitepo’s poem still has relevance to the now and how we still seek for belonging and how we trust blindly and selflessly in our beliefs and ancestors. Mankind is undergoing a lot of changes, uprisings and revolts, religious mistrust, broken lineages and distorted truths. Nature is also in revolt and is communicating to us the imbalances mankind has set in motion. ‘‘We live in interesting times’’ is a theme that artists from all over the world have been invited to interpret through their artistic creative colourful language.
Zimbabwe is part of this great gathering of artists at the 58th Zimbabwe Pavilion at the La Biennale di Venezia 2019 for their fifth appearance. Championing our artist course at the Venice Biennale 2019 is Kudzanai-Violet Hwami, Neville Starling, Georgina Maxim, and Cosmas Shiridzinomwa. Their creations interpreted the themes with such grace and artistic dignity. Their creations boldly interrogate the state of the human condition from a perspective that comes from the artist and from a Zimbabwean vantage point. Raphael Chikukwa, chief curator at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe is the curator of “Soko Risina Musoro — A tale without a head”, Doreen Sibanda, executive director of the National Gallery in Zimbabwe, is commissioner of the exhibition.
These are times when false truths and false prophets are being challenged as there is spirit of re-awakening among mankind. Science and technology have altered people’s beliefs and spirituality as memories have been created for us. Memories that are instilled into our minds and we inherit them and pass them on further. ‘‘Soko risina musoro’’ translates to a ‘‘tale without a head’’ and on many levels translates to ‘‘words without meaning’’ and ‘‘amazwi angela khanda’’. The metaphor being that there is a form of imbalance created by a lack of having a ‘‘head’’. The ‘‘head’’ being the truth and the source of all reason and that which is believable. We are consumed with many layers and angles of ‘‘tales’’ that we are taught and told. These ‘‘tales’’ are the words and lyrics that are used strategically to disorient and confuse the people. When people begin to question their purpose, their worth, their leaders and their faith, ‘‘words’’ without ‘‘meaning’’ are brought to light. Our artists from Zimbabwe re-engaged the dialogue VaChitepo initiated through his epic poem with the world on the Venice Biennale platform.
It is incredible how VaChitepo was one of the founding fathers of Zimbabwe and a nationalist at heart. He also contributed to the Zimbabwean heritage through the arts and in his case through a poem of great symbolism and relevance to our current times. The power of the written word transcended and still resonates with us in these current times. VaChitepo aimed at raising and cultivating “Black consciousness” across Africa and its diaspora. His literature had qualities that raised an awareness in all mankind to be conscious of where they came from and to be vigilant about oppressive and deceptive forces. Our artists representing us rose to the challenge and shared their thoughts to the world. ‘‘Soko risina musoro — a tale without a head” exhibition explores the journey of African identity and how it has been shifting to suit the context. Art finds a way to narrate the stories of mankind and document the moments that challenge and celebrate their existence. Most of Africa’s stories have been preserved through words and mythical references. Art from Africa has finally reached platforms where our narratives can now be herd and studied with proper intellectual reference.
“May you live in interesting times” is this year’s overall theme for the Venice 58th Biennale 2019 was curated by Ralph Rugoff and organised by La Biennale di Venezia. Saturday May 11th to Sunday November 24th 2019, at the Giardini and the Arsenale. Zimbabwe and Africa are fairly new to this platform as our creations have gradually been gaining their long deserved attention and recognition.
Remember, ‘‘Legalise Art’’, promote, permit, admit, validate, legitimise, authorise.
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