Curatorial Notes
Zerial Art Project presents, from 25 May to 20 July 2024 at Fondazione Marta Czok in Venice, the exhibition Embodied Histories curated by Alice Montanini. Under the patronage of the Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe, the exhibition
brings the work of Zimbabwean artists Peter Musami and Mukudzei Muzondo to Italy for the first time. Through a selection of previously unseen works created especially for the occasion, Embodied Histories explores themes of memory, trauma and cultural heritage in the intricate context of Zimbabwe's tumultuous history, setting this in the context of the 60th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia curated by Adriano Pedrosa 'Stranieri Ovunque - Foreigners Everywhere'.
Richly reminiscent of Shona cultural background, Musami and Muzondo’s artistic visions converge and diverge, forming a poignant discourse on the body as a vessel of trauma, a theatrical landscape of scars, yet simultaneously a spiritual site
of healing and reconciliation. Muzondo’s work is characterised by a striking figurative storytelling embodied with both historical and personal references. Through densely layered compositions, his powerful depiction delves into the struggles and resilience of a scarred nation, while uncovering the intricate interplay between socio-political historical events, memory, and tradition, all shaping Zimbabwe contemporary cultural identity. In his work, lingering echoes of colonialism permeate the cultural confrontation with the oppressive Western capitalist system, where the voices of non-dominant cultures are drowned out by the shadow of a still tangible colonial past.
The complex non-linearity of trauma is portrayed by Musami’s textured large collage works. Intertwined with political undertones, these works evoke an emotional landscape where the past and the present overlap, as if echoing a fragmented psyche dealing with traumatic experiences. A mosaic of layered
memories retraces the artistic process of tearing, cutting and subsequently assembling each fragment into a new wounded yet vibrant composition, where the artistic expression is transmuted into a symbolic act of healing.
Through the convergence of Muzondo’s figurative symbolism and Musami’s abstract expressionism, this exhibition invite viewers to navigate a multifaceted contemporary narrative deeply embedded in the scarred history of Zimbabwe.
Biographies Read the biographies of the artists and curator Mukudzei Muzondo (Kwekwe, 1983) lives and works in Harare. He completed his studies at the Peter Brich School of Art and was later selected to be artist in residence at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. He graduated in Fine Arts from Harare Polytechnic College. Mukudzei Muzondo has participated in various solo and group exhibitions, international workshops and art residencies. His research is aimed at investigating historical and contemporary contexts, questioning the human condition in urban society. By experimenting with various objects using different media from silk-screen printing to assemblages, his works generate an analysis of human existence in social and political spaces. Also highlighting contemporary research on identity and belonging, his works are an introspection based on the narrative of the body and life defined through experiences. His works seek to give form and meaning to the articulation of the State of Being. His works are in private collections, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, USA, Germany and France and in public collections National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare and FBC Bank, Harare Zimbabwe. Peter Musami (Harare, 1981) is a visual artist working in Harare, Zimbabwe, since the late 2000s. He attended the National Gallery of Zimbabwe School of Visual Arts and Design, from 2012 to 2013. During this time he honed his skills in assembling different materials and painting, experimenting with ideas and techniques from other established art genres. With influences derived from nature, social culture and music, he developed as a painter and sculptor whose work is not necessarily a search for new art forms, but rather a need to discover and demonstrate different dimensions to the already established art genres of assemblage and abstraction. With a vibrant palette of oil colours and intricate shading of lines, Musami's abstract expressionist works describe and evoke the history of his life experiences and contemporary culture. Peter Musami's works can be found in important private collections. He has exhibited in various solo and group exhibitions in Zimbabwe, South Africa, the UK, Canada and Switzerland. Alice Montanini is a contemporary art curator. After completing a Master's degree in Philosophical Sciences at Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, she furthered her academic pursuits by obtaining a MA in Curating the Contemporary from London Metropolitan University. Her professional experience encompasses roles of responsibility in international art galleries, managing curatorial projects, and creating multimedia content. Recently, she curated the collective exhibition Flashbacks, showcasing renowned international artists such as Vincenzo Agnetti, Jan Fabre, Roman Opałka, and Remo Salvadori at BUILDINGBOX, an exhibition space within BUILDING, Milan. She co-curated exhibitions such as Private Exposure at the me Collectors Room in Berlin and Dialogues of Space at the Korean Cultural Centre UK in London. In 2021, she founded the YouTube channel Arte Contemporanea Oggi.
Peter Musami, Wumbiridzo/Restoration I, 2024
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