BY SHARON SIBINDI
BULAWAYO-BASED visual artist Ishmael Singo says he has mastered the art after taking his Magoritoto (ghosts) exhibition to Greatmore Studios in Cape Town, South Africa as part of his residency exchange programme.
Singo’s month-long residency exchange was supported by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in partnership with the Swedish embassy.
“While in Cape Town, I learnt the importance of working with a good curator who can help to narrate your concept and the body of work. Most of the time, I had visitors coming so I had to learn how to talk about my work as well,” he said.
“It was funny and educational as well. There was a lot of networking and interaction with other artists and curators.
“I made a number of connections with curators, artists and a collector.”
Singo said the Magoritoto concept received more visitors at the exhibition.
“The body of work I was doing was based on a concept called Magoritoto. It was more like documenting the stories I hear from society in general about the so-called Magoritoto,” he said.
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“I was fascinated by stories I heard being told about Magoritoto and I felt I could share and document the stories through artworks.”
Singo said after the residency, he would go back to his usual space and continue with the concept, building a body of work that he can share on a proper solo exhibition next year.
“I learnt a lot and that knowledge I acquired, I promise to use it to become one of the biggest contemporary art brands in the world. I promise to make them (National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and the embassy of Switzerland) proud,” he said.
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