Published by the government of Zimbabwe
16 November 2009
Harare — FRANCE-based international art curator, Valerie Kabov will this week conduct an art workshop at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare.
Kabov -- who is currently studying for a doctorate at the University of Paris 1, Sorbonne, in France -- will make a presentation titled "Global Forum, Local Content" whose aim is to unbundle the role of contemporary art in relation to their local and global set-up.
Speaking about Kabov's presentation, Kudzanai Nyarumwe, an official from the gallery, said:
"In her research and work with artists and audiences in countries ranging from Portugal to Australia, France and Russia, Valerie has found that artists around the world share same general concerns and even when their local lifestyles, traditional culture and living conditions are vastly different."
Kabov will also talk about the need for artists to stay connected to their places of origin.
"When artists are connected to their place and have an understanding of their local audiences only can they be able to make important art that is valuable not only to their local audiences but also to the international community and to history," said Nyarumwe.
He said the discussion also sought to present art as functional and not merely a luxury for the elite.
"Recently contemporary visual art in Zimbabwe has been on the wane.
"The economic situation has made much visual art a luxury with many artists pressured to seek audiences and market their work outside the country.
"Financial pressures and history of exoticisation in the eyes of audiences outside Africa can contribute to visual art sometimes being wrongly perceived as elitist and not connected with concerns of audiences at home," said Nyarumwe.
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