Akapfeka rokwe remari mari.
A woman of tragedy and divinity.
By Nyadzombe Nyampenza
If there is a Hell, Prudence Chimutuwah must have been to its gloomy depths. She came out tempered by its fires and created an artwork, naming it Nhuna Dzangu. The work is an inspiration for overcoming odds to rise from the ashes.
The Shona word Nhunha, may translate as — issues, baggage, or grievances. It speaks to matters that weigh on the spirit. Some issues can be addressed and resolved. Others issues just need acknowledgment and validation. The phrase ‘Nhuna Dzangu’ suggests intimate revelation of the subject's experiences. Use of first person voice in the title evokes empathy.
The artwork depicts a solitary woman with unnatural blue skin. She is positioned in the crosshairs of the frame. The woman’s eyes are cast down. Her arms fall by the sides. Afro locks crown her head. A halo of words swirling in a radiant white follows her. This marks the woman as a person of divine influence, power and majesty. She wears a dress made out of money. The disused Zimbabwean currency makes the dress expensive in a tangible way. It elevates her status. Erect rectangular pieces making up the garment, buttress the subjects figure. The gown flows to the edge of the frame making the subject stand tall. In the background inscriptions in blue form a curtain of words. The words bleed into the soiled white at her feet.
Chimutuwah centers the woman and decorates the frame with symbolic elements like a Gustav Klimt portrait. The dominant blues are stressful. But the green couture dress signals vitality and regeneration. This is a woman who got back from her setbacks. She owns her story. The world must take her for what she is.
Nhunha Dzangu is included in the exhibition; Balance for Better: Redesigning a Woman’s Space at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. Curated by: Doreen Sibanda and Valerie Sithole. Running till 27th May 2019.
