The National Gallery of Zimbabwe is excited to present “I Did Not Leave a Sign?”, an intriguing exhibition that explores the magic and strange beauty found in the unexpected and uncanny. This exhibit showcases a collection of artworks that challenge perceptions and invite viewers to embrace the unknown, highlighting the mysterious and surreal aspects of artistic expression. Visitors will be captivated by the unique interplay of reality and imagination, discovering new meanings in the unconventional and enigmatic pieces on display.
Embracing the Uncanny and Unconventional
“I Did Not Leave a Sign?” delves into the magic and strange beauty of the unexpected, uncanny, disregarded, and unconventional. This exhibition is centered on exploring legacies and is haunted by the specter of a past we cannot shake, a present we cannot bear, and a future we can no longer confidently imagine. It argues for the usefulness of enlivening stories of resistance and survival, focusing on how to center ourselves amid chaos.
A Map of Transition and Healing
This exhibition creates paths of transition and embraces chaos, exploring our capacity to navigate discontinuity and carry the stories and seeds of our most recent past and present. The artworks aim to heal multi-generational trauma histories related to land, place, bodies, and culture, unraveling traumas that have translated into impaired attachments, touch deficiencies, and consistent care. The question “How do we want to be remembered?” drives the narrative, hoping that future generations will find our legacy worthy of emulation.
Stewardship of Human and Ecological Relationships
“I Did Not Leave a Sign?” maps out how to steward not just the human relationship with nature, but also the human-managed relationship between us and our planet. The exhibition highlights the importance of engaging in reciprocity with all aspects of the supply chain from the cradle to the grave, emphasizing that the very existence of future human generations lies in the balance.
Personal Choices and Collective Narratives
The exhibition reflects our growing awareness of the consequences of our actions and the more significant emotional and spiritual task of harnessing personal choices, activities, and desires in service to relics that will live long after our deaths. It promotes the practice of ubuntu/unhu, finding deeper pleasure and meaning through intentional choices and narratives.
Revolutionizing Human Experience Amid Global Loss
At the core of “I Did Not Leave a Sign?” is the ambition to revolutionize human experience in the face of unimaginable global loss. It examines mourning and melancholia associated with death and loss, shifting ethical and moral compasses, restitution and remembrance in the process of unearthing memory, and evaluates how we can become good ancestors. The journey has been uneasy, but this work embodies what we used to be, what we want to be, and what we hope to be.
National Gallery of Zimbabwe invites you to experience “I Did Not Leave a Sign?”, a profound exploration of the uncanny and unconventional, offering a thought-provoking perspective on our past, present, and future.
