NGZ commemorates International Museum Day

By The Standard | May. 18, 2017 | 2 Min read

THE National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) today joins the rest of the world in commemorating the International Museum Day which is running under the theme Museums and Contested Histories: Saying the Unspeakable in Museums.

BY ARTS REPORTER

NGZ education officer Akim Nyakudya said the day provided an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of museums in the sustainable development of society.

“In celebrating the day, the Gallery recognises the importance of museums as an integral part of society, fostering means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among societies,” he said.

“Each year, the day is celebrated under a different theme and this year’s theme places focus on the role that museums play in peacefully addressing traumatic histories by mediating and expressing multiple points of view.”

The day coincides with the Tavatose/Sisonke Schools Northern Region Exhibition, which will also be officially opened at the Gallery today, while the national exhibition will take place on June 3.

Nyakudya said the schools exhibition was a collaborative project by the NGZ in partnership with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) under the theme, Celebration Time! — With the Environment in Mind.

“The schools exhibition is a show based on unity and brings pupils from different backgrounds together to express themselves through art,” he said.

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“It is also based on developing a greater awareness of the importance of keeping the environment clean, around issues of improper handling of waste and its risks to the environment and human health at an early age.”

Nyakudya said there would also be a tour of the running exhibitions, including an exhibition of some works in the Permanent Collection, focusing on 18th Century and mid-20th Century artists as well as local contemporary artists.