Walking into the Zibabwean exhibition in Venice the first thing I notice is that there is no stone sculpture. It was what I was expecting and its absence makes me pay more attention to the artwork that has come all the way from Africa.

By Sylvia Smith, Venice

Four Zibabwean artists are currently showcasing their art at the prestigious Venice Biennale in northern Italy. This is the first independent African pavilion to make an appearance at the event which will run until the end of November. The theme of the 54th Venice Biennale Illumination revealed in a new light the latest developments in contemporary art in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean exhibition Seeing Ourselves puts on display the talents of four Zimbabwean artists who showed work in a variety of media from photography and painting to installation.

According to Doreen Sibanda, the curator of the exhibition in Venice and Director of the National Gallery in Zimbabwe, the artists represent the contemporary side of what the country is producing. "After Independence we felt the need to train young artists in additonal media such as textiles, video and photography,"she explains. "So this have been an evolution that has been going on for the last 20 to 30 years." She added that she hopes that this exhibition will challenge any preconceived ideas about Zimbabwe and is just the start of putting the country's talent on an international platform. 

At the opening of Seeing Ourselves Ghanaian artists El Anatsui commented that he had expected to see turned stone sculpture for which Zimbabwe is very well known. "It is a big surprise and a treat to see the high quality of work that has been brought here," he said. "There are works by an older generation such as Tapfuma Gutsa as well as a young unknown."

Metophor for struggle
In the first room Dreadlocked Tapfuma Gutsa showed an installation on the floor. Part football pitch, part chess board, with hats and helmets instead of kings and queens, the piece was a metaphor about the struggle between villagers and the military and through the formations of the hats showed which 'team' was likely to win.

Tapfuma Gutsa says that he tries to express real issues such as inequality within society. “Most of the work in this exhibition is really gritty", he told me. "It’s also heartfelt. As far as my work goes nobody tried to influence what I was making. I did what I wanted to and I am ready to stand by it." In an adjoining room he showed a business suit made of tar and feathers - a reference to the corporate rip off going on all over Africa.

More chances for artists
Photoghrapher Calvin Dondo chose to explore the dynamics of mixed race families in Europe. His works hung round a room showing young, black children as well as teenagers who were living with white families in Southern Germany, Switzerland and France. "I started this project on adoptionlong before Madonna adopted those children from Malawi," he explains. "My work focusses on issues of identity, citizenship, migration and love - because to adopt you really have to love."

Young and up-coming painter Misheck Masamvu, wearing trendy glasses was sitting on a bench he had made out of metal and rubber. But the main focus of his work were paintings on the walls. The vividly coloured abstract acylics explore social hierarchy. He hopes that the Venice exhibition will provide more chances for interaction and exchange between Zimbabwean and international artists. "The recognition fo Zibabwean art is long overdue he declares. "This will push us into the forefront of peoples' minds."

London next?
With the long promised appearance of an exhibtion from the Democratic Republic of Congo failing to materialise, the Zimbabwean artists carried the flag for sub-saharan Africa. With a visit from the curators from Britain’s Tate gallery to look at the artwork there is a chance that Venice won’t be the last stop for this exhibition.