Public art is the heartbeat of a city — it sparks conversation, tells our stories, and challenges us to think bigger. In Bulawayo, one of the most iconic examples was "Looking to the Future" by veteran sculptor Adam Madebe — a masterwork shaped from thousands of metal coins, reminding us that our true wealth lies not just in money, but in vision, creativity, and shared cultural heritage. For years, it stood proudly in the Gallery, its gaze fixed forward — a symbol of progress and hope. But it was removed after numerous debates over nudity in public art, and the city has been poorer for it.
Kodwa, nudity in art is not alien to us as Zimbabweans. In our traditional sculptures, ceremonial carvings, the human body — often unclothed — was celebrated as a natural, God-given form. Our ancestors did not see shame in the body; they saw dignity, fertility, and life. In Christian teaching, too, Adam and Eve were created naked in God’s image. Purity is defined by intent, not by concealment. This sculpture was never about obscenity — it was about vision, about looking beyond the present into a better future.
Bringing back "Looking to the Future" is about more than reinstating a piece of art. It’s about whether Bulawayo will continue to lead in openness, dialogue, and creative freedom. It’s about recognising that faith, culture, and art can coexist — and even enrich one another. If we truly believe in looking forward, then perhaps the first step is to restore the work that dared us to imagine tomorrow.
Cliford Zulu
Independent Curator
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tate-intensive-art-matters
http://www.tortoisebox.org/studio/echoingsilences/
https://gabarron.org/LAB/Newsletters/2012/The-Spirit-of-Friendship
https://www.arebyte.com/publications
https://curatorsintl.org/learning/13893-curatorial-intensive-marrakech-2015
https://www.ghat-art.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Buladeen-Exhibition-Handout.pdf
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