Imajeni!
Young woman dreaming…
By Nyadzombe Nyampenza
A young woman with a dream can be an act of subversion. Some have their dreams snatched from them and crushed. Against such odds Progress Nyandoro mounts a wall hanging that is a portal into her enchanted dream.
Nyandoros’ creation is a patchwork of symbolic images. It carries the silhouette of a woman, with no head, hands, or feet. She is an unfinished puzzle. Flowers bloom around her reflecting nourishment and growth. A bird soaring in the sky heralds freedom and vision. And a lone bright star portends the future. A footmark leads the eye from the margin to the center. But the outlook is not all sunny. A pair of shoe soles nailed against the fabric show wear and tear related to experiences.
The curvy dominant figure has awkward gait. Zigzag patterns over her body are like fault lines and sparks. It creates nail biting uncertainty. The woman could fall apart. But she is held together — by her Black woman magic!
[The Unfinished Story - by Progress Nyandoro, is in a current exhibition Beyond The Township Walls, at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare.]
