The use of the camera as a tool has crept into the fine arts. Gone are the days when the painter, painstakingly painted a portrait from a live model. It’s now easier to freeze that moment and paint from the photograph. the Regional Director of the Nationa
THIS is a critical look at the In My Private Moments Exhibition by two female artists Fulufhelo Mobadi and Kresiah Mukwazhi now showing at the National Gallery in Bulawayo, running from 3 to 31 June 2016.
Kresiah grew up in Harare and studied photography at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa. Fulufhelo trained at the same institute as Kresiah and is exhibiting for the first time outside her native country, South Africa. Both artists are young, full of zeal and wide expectations, and showi vigour to explore this artistic terrain that is starved of female artists.
The use of the camera as a tool has crept into the fine arts. Gone are the days when the painter, painstakingly painted a portrait from a live model. It’s now easier to freeze th a t BULAWAYO’S famed gospel choir Vocal Extraordinaire launched its first DVD and CD recently at the Word of life Auditorium in Bulawayo.
The launch which was dubbed “I live to worship” (Ebenezer) saw hundreds of gospel music lovers thronging the event.
Gospel groups, Gospel Maniacs, Royal Elite, Deeper Song Tehillah and Dumisa took to the stage as curtain raisers.
In interview with Sunday Life, Vocal Ex publicist Nonhlanhla Sibanda said the DVD and CD was well received.
“The DVD was auctioned at $15 thereafter everyone else was free to buy it at $3 and CDs were sold for a dollar,” she said.
She said lucky fans were awarded DVDs and CDs after responding correctly when asked questions by the Master of Ceremony Tawanda Denga who did not need too much to excite the already thrilled crowd.
Family Covenant Church pastor Conet moment and paint from the photograph. The camera has the same concept as the eye. The eye can not lie, even the camera cannot lie, though it lies when manipulated in the studio or under the wrong settings. Whereas the God-given eye does not lie, it tells the truth, only the truth so help us God. The art works on display explores the anatomy — the human body that has been part of the fire in the visual arts; that fire is redefined by each artist. These young artistic photographers are lighting dark terrain with their cutting edge images that explore the private moments of women in general within our communities. It has a sense of wit ejaculating with Moyo commissioned both the 16-track CD and DVD and later prayed for the group.
Vocal Ex took to the stage clad in maroon, white and sheath pink attires.
The first song Isihlangu Sami got the crowd on their feet followed by Akhona amandla, Tumwite, Ndimambo, Hlala kuye, Uphakeme, It is well, Kuwe baba and Wethembekile and some of these songs are in the new CD.
Guest artiste Pearl Granger and Lorraine Sitotombe Maplanka who recently staged at Rebecca Malope’s concert took to the stage and left the crowd craving for more.
Joyous Vocalists cum Vocal Ex assistant director Eric Moyo brought the roof down as he took to the stage with his first song Praise God from the recent Joyous Celebration CD.
Vocal Ex closed the show with songs Mandigonera,Weminana,Vachagara and Tsamba.
The group left people asking for more and came back to the stage with the song Nyathela ngesibindi. probing instinct of the young and fresh with the zeal of exploring new grounds. Most of the images on show are black and white photos — bringing that essence of the yester year before colour photography was invented.
The bird’s eye view of the whole exhibition is the sensitive use of the skin and the second skin — apparel. Especially the second skin that touches the body. It questions its authenticity, its sensuality. It explores the essence of who we are before the fall of mankind.
The use of undies as still life for yet another photograph to be taken is remarkable. It captures your attention to detail. Have we run out of still life objects or it’s a way of bringing out that femininity that we all long for, that femininity we have embraced since childhood? The innocence of a child when looking at the undies on the washing line, on the dura wall, on top of a shrub or hedge, or laying on the rock. It brings out the unadulterated mind.
Both artists Fulufhelo and Kresiah have used their own bodies as models in some of the images, sacrificing themselves on the cross of creativity.
The use of the African mask in Fulufhelo’s photos adds spiritual dimension to the show. She takes the mask to another dimension of creativity. The mask on the female body looks
Vocal Ex founder Thembelani Mdlaziba said the launch was a success.
“It was a celebratory day, people did come in numbers and we managed time well according to plan. We thank our father absurd to the male chauvinist and yet it is there to make a statement on what man has done to mother earth. On one of the photos titled “Zinhle”, she used the mask of the Tasmanians, a way of Taiwan who wear the mask on the back of their heads so as to distract the tiger from attacking them from behind. The same Pastor Conet Moyo who commissioned our DVD and CD, which sold out at the event.”
He added: “We believe God has deposited a music gift in us that will be principle might apply on this image to the rapist that is lacking in the concrete jungles of this world. Within the African tradition context the mask is only worn by male mask dancers. Like all religions, be it Christianity or any other, that are male dominated the mask on her body is a statement. celebrated and will touch lives everywhere. Ebenezer means this is how far the lord has taken us.