Staff Writer
Zimbabwean artist Option Dzikamayi Nyahunzvi will present his first solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Harare this February.
Titled Zvatiri —loosely translated as What We Are—the exhibition offers a contemplative exploration of identity, embodied culture, and inherited values.
Rooted in reflections on everyday gestures and social codes, Nyahunzvi’s work interrogates the subtle practices that shape communal life.
“We really do not think much about the mundane things that make us, such as our reference to totems or the act of clapping our hands as we greet,” he said.
“These are values that have stood the test of time—they survived colonialism even—and I want to capture our kinesics through painting.”
Through a series of figurative compositions, Zvatiri illuminates how the cordial nature of Zimbabwe’s forebears has shaped contemporary notions of Unhu, positioning it as a moral compass guiding collective well-being.
Nyahunzvi draws visual and philosophical parallels between local customs and global spiritual practices, noting, for instance, how the lotus position—central to Eastern esotericism—has long existed as a natural resting posture within African contexts.
His work further emphasizes how indigenous body language is instinctively oriented toward welcome rather than aggression.
Curated by F. Zvikomborero Mandangu, the exhibition forms part of the National Gallery’s 2026 solo programme.
“As one of the key solo exhibitions on our schedule this year, we felt that Nyahunzvi’s work—deeply rooted in the investigation of identity—would make for a compelling and timely showcase,” Mandangu said. “Zvatiri stands as a post-millennial rallying cry for spiritual patriotism.”
Zvatiri opens to the public on 13 February 2026. A curatorial walkabout, conversation sessions, and an artist talk will take place throughout the exhibition’s run, inviting audiences into dialogue around culture, memory, and the enduring language of the body.
About Author
