Conversation: ‘Things that have been revealed to me’

Curator of Portia Zvavahera exhibition, Zvakazarurwa, Tamar Garb in conversation with Sinazo Chiya and Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela on the work of Portia Zvavahera.

Zvavahera’s paintings arise from, as she says, ‘things that have been revealed to me’ both in waking life and in her dreams. Using an array of techniques – painting, print-making, batik – she creates richly coloured and patterned paintings that map her experiences of motherhood, fear, love, and Christian spirituality. Today’s speakers navigate their way through Zvavahera’s practice and their own encounters with it, exploring her lexicon of figures, creatures, shapes and shadows that carry personal stories from one canvas to another.

All three speakers have contributed to the book that accompanies the exhibition