The Sunday Mail
Bridge Reporter
Mhinduro Art Exhibition official opening was held last week at Long Cheng Plaza. The exhibition was curated by Sandra Chari a fourth year student studying Bachelor of Science Honors Degree in Fine ART at Chinhoyi University of Technology.
The exhibition featured 2-Dimensional and 3-Dimensional artworks done by Chari in her program. Her Exhibition was opened by Sabina Mutsvati a Zimbabwean Artist who majors in fashion and costume designing.
The theme Mhinduro (Answer) Art Exhibition was drawn from questions posed by the society about art hence her event was an insight of the definition of art. Sandra is mainly inspired by the female body not to see the naked body but to cover it.
She is coming up with a different perspective against male gaze and nudity by clothing the female body.
The exhibition was also a whistle blower to the young designers for them to promote the beauty of women not to expose it in a negative way. Her art is promoting modesty in the art world.
To add on, Sandra’s work shows freedom in the use of media therefore her art empowers young artists in creativity.
The audience were students from Belvedere Teachers college, BAT and Marondera High School. She also received support from her church members of The Pentecostal Apostolic Church of God, relatives and friends.
She spoke one the things that inspire her and why she chose art.
Driving force of doing art?
I started art in 2006 at Chiteshe Secondary School in Mainland, Buhera. It was not my best choice but I had no option because I hated agriculture so I had to choose one practical subject which was compulsory. So I can honestly say that initially art was just a practical subject which I passed at O’ Level.
When choosing an undergraduate program, my father was the driving force he had seen something in me earlier so he insisted that I had to pursue more in art. That brought me to Chinhoyi University of Technology in 2012 studying Bachelor of Science Degree in Fine Art.
The experience?
I had a great experience at Chinhoyi University of Technology. I met many prominent Artists like Dominic Benhura, Chikonzero Chazunguza, Terrence Musekiwa, Sabina Mutsvati and other artists who shed more light in art. I also did a project which took me to places which I did not expected through the DET-ZIM project. I was chosen as one of the best art students at Chinhoyi University of Technology to participate in cultural exchange projects with American students from Detroit which started on 16 May 2016 and the experience was amazing.
A successful exhibition?
Honestly speaking you cannot have a successful event without supporting people around you. There was a working committee who were organizing the event.
I know that the development and creation of artworks was my responsibility and I took much time from 2013 to come up with my final best artworks. On the choice of venue, I wanted a place with parking space considering my type of audience. So Long Cheng Plaza was my best choice because it provided enough space for my artworks and audience as well.
Specialist area?
My specialist area is mixed media. Mixed media is any work of art that uses more than one medium.
I have observed that in art there is different media to discuss about hence the media itself can tell a story. I see the value of art in the use of media that is why I chose mixed media as my specialist area. In my artworks I tried to mix media be it painting, sculpture and ceramics.
On my specialisation project I recycled cassette, VCR tapes and Compact disks to come up with aesthetically appealing outrageous dresses.
How she designs dresses being a fine artist?
I have an interest of working with textiles. I did my industrial attachment at KUTAURA ENTERPRISES, one of the biggest clothing companies in Zimbabwe which sponsored me with all the printing costs and provided the fabric as well.
So I can say that the environment influenced me to see the problem in that area, that is why I chose to create dresses out of unrealistic material.
I know that I am not a fashion designer that is why I combined photography, print making, graphic designing and other disciplines of art to come up with Avant-Garde dresses. Avant-Garde involves exploring new artistic methods in order to produce better art.
I observed that fashion world itself is a great example that mirrors the desire for constant change so fashion industry is based on the idea of avant-garde.
After graduation?
I know there is high unemployment rate in Zimbabwe but I believe there is a place for an independent artist to grow, so I want to nurture my artistic skills to become an independent artist.
