Crossing the Bridge exhibition

Introducing my second second project in Harare  “Crossing the bridge” is a tale of two cities bringing together the works of Israel Israel a Bulawayo Sculptor and Forbes Mushipe  mixed media artist from Gweru, in an exhibition about the near and the far, quantum and universal patterns, insight and out of sight, and crossover sensibilities. Connecting the inner and outer eye, the two illustrious artists use metaphor and transformation to see beyond the known. Israel is presenting the concept of jackets in its contemporary denotation while Forbes Mushipe pushes the spiritual journey through the African tales within the social, religious and cultural context. Both artists seek to probe the world around them and as means to describe their work using abstraction and intuition, by conveying individual ideas and emotions.

The exhibition open on Thursday 8 October 2014 at 17:30hrs at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. Using metal wood and bone, the artwork faces the challenge of visualizing movement and energy through static forms:  although the artworks are not literally dynamic, in suggesting motion change, and instilling an imagined wonder in the viewer. The process of mixing material and layering stimulates Mushipes’s works, which reflects his on-going fascination with spiritual energy, patterns and shapes. Rather than expressing micro-scaled behavior of the realm of humankind, Israel focuses equally on mysterious and invisible habits of humanity.

In this collaboration the artists are exploring subjects that are affecting Zimbabweans locally and beyond our borders.  The exhibition builds up through their work experimenting and joining various segments of varying widths and metals, and occasionally incorporates found objects and recycled metal sheeting, finding the entire process so liberating and contemporary.

 Finding grace in the everyday, Forbes and Israel are “back in business” and the exhibition will run in Bulawayo until the end of August and then move to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare in September to explore dialogue with other spaces. And as we join their exhilarating search for truth and meaning, we observe the beauty of metal wood and bone and experience moments of coming together and splitting up in a vast chain of being. The official opening was done in Bulawayo by professor Brian Jones in August. 

Cliford Zulu,

Curator

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2014/08/13/mushipe-israel-hold-joint-exhibition

http://www.herald.co.zw/crossing-the-bridge-exhibition-opens/

http://www.panorama.co.zw/index.php/archives/117-visual-arts/770-two-artists-cross-the-bridge