No Stilettos In The Gallery: Violence, Women and Art Exhibition

In 1985, a collective of anonymous New York women artist wearing gorilla mask came together as an art activist group (Guerilla Girls), sparking conversation on sexism in the art world with a poster manifesto "Do women have to be naked to get into the Met Museum". The paradox was that less than 5% of the works at the Met were by women, however 85% of the nudes were of women. A year earlier, the Museum of Modern Art in New York had hosted an exhibition titled "An International Survey of Painting and Sculpture"; the discourse was that the work exhibited was the most significant contemporary art in the world. The Guerilla Girls differed because out of 169 artists, only 13 were women. The women artist were annoyed that Kynaston McShine, curator of the exhibition stated in an interview that any artist not in the show should rethink "his career". The National Gallery Of Zimbabwe is not quite the Met, but to a Zimbabwean artist regardless of gender, it is a stepping-stone to life changing exhibitions in the world's best art establishments.
 
To a passing outsider, the art scene seems so modern, liberal and androgynous without any bias towards male or female artworks. Deeper exploration of this creative universe does show that they are disparities between male and female artworks, a sort of gender apartheid. The art world is not what it portrays, open colorful where the only thing that matters is your ego, talent and drive. Gender matters too, that is why for many eons women artist have actively advocated for equal recognition and appreciation for their works. In Zimbabwe, the women artists have silently moaned about lack of representation. Only a few women such as Agnes Nyanhongo and the late Colleen Madamombe, whose work championed womanhood, have reached Zimbabwe's dizzy art heights.


Art piece titled Mother Nature

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This year, the British council and the British embassy in Harare sponsored an exhibition that coincided with the 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender Violence "It's mainly to give female artist a platform as well as highlight gender violence", say Dana Whabira, Artistic Director of Njelele Art Station, which was asked by the British Embassy to curate at the National Gallery Of Zimbabwe. The exhibition titled "No Stilettos In The Gallery" was also for a good cause, as the money raised from an auction of the artworks, went to the Musasa Project, which counsels women who are victims of abuse, rape and violence.
 
"The exhibition is not just about art but the strong message portrayed by the various artworks captures the experiences of women," said Deborah Bronnert, the British Ambassador To Zimbabwe at the opening night of the exhibition. "No Stilettos In The Gallery" featured 28 contemporary artworks made by 21 women artists working in Zimbabwe, which includes the Zimbabwe Association of Female Photographers' Cynthia Matonhodze, Nancy Mteki, and Davina Jogi as well as Filmmaker Rumbi Katedza. Many of the artworks featured in the show were exhibiting for the first time at the National Gallery.


An art enthusiast admires Davina Jogi's art piece

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Popular culture icon Marilyn Monroe once famously remarked, "Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world". Stilettos have become a metaphor for feminine power and sexuality glamourized by fictitious characters such as Carrie Bradshaw of the "Sex and the City" TV series. However, Africa's past, is strewn with barefooted or flat-footed heroines like Nehanda and Josina Machel, who positively impacted their respective society.
 
The exhibition was a collective narrative of Zimbabwean women's individual stories told through objects, photographs and paintings. A variety of media was used to illustrate experiences of women and their sometimes violent and volatile relationship with men, whilst addressing inequality and seeking parity with their male counterparts in Zimbabwe's art world. Art is a representation of the cultural milieu that it is created in, having so many works by artist from different backgrounds, gives one an overall cultural understanding of Zimbabwean society, especially the juxtapose relationship between the traditional and the contemporary.

Melania Chisango's 'Women Of Today'

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Zimbabwe's women artist represent all facets of its society, from the rural to the urban with works such as Melania Chisango's impressive "Woman of Today" which explores the difference between contemporary and traditional women as well as Nyaradzo Dhliwayo's insightful "Enigma" which came about through a survey she conducted to find out how many of her friends had been abused, it turned out to be one in every four. The work that conceptualized "No Stiletto in the Gallery" best is Sharon Murphy's inspiring "Keep Some Stilettos In The Gallery". Murphy's piece captures the spirit of the exhibition, and adds an ironic twist to the title of the exhibition, whilst adding weight to the overall theme. The piece features a ladder with a pair of stilettos at the top.


 Shannon Murphy's 'Keep Some Stilettos In The Gallery'

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"Keep Some Stilettos In The Gallery "is the showcase's haka, a war cry to her artistic sisters. A "girl power" fist that takes on the local macho art world by the ball sack and encourages Zimbabwe's women artist to climb the art ladder the same way women in the corporate world have, with a pair of heels, Louboutins preferred.  I can't help but, sing the words of the great modern feminist musician Beyonce "Who runs this mother? Girls" because the quality of work showcased revels that Zimbabwe's female artist, are as talented as their male counterparts, and could soon end up at the top of the ladder.'


 Guest listen to proceedings of the evening

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An art enthusiast admires an art piece

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An art enthusiast admires an art piece entitled 'Purility and Puberty

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Ambassador Bronnert (British Ambassador), talks to Doreen Sibanda (Director of National Gallery of Zimbabwe) and Jill Coates (Director of British Council)

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British Ambassador Her Excellency Deborah Bronnert gives her remarks on the exhibition and gender based violence

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Batsirai Chigama recites a poem

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Musasa Project Director Netty Musanhu gives a speech

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Pamela Breeze Anderson recites a poem

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Photographer Cynthia Matonhodze Chats with a guest

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