2012

Toy Memories Exhibition at FFGH

Opening 04 December 2012
Toy memories is an exhibition brought by visiting Dutch painter and conceptual artist Koert van den Beukel which was a culmination of his residency at First Floor Gallery Harare.  During his stay he conducted a painting workshop which took the artists through various oil painting techniques, the process of making their own paints and colours which is a vital skill for young painters in Harare given the high price of art materials and lastly collaborative painting. The exhibition features works by K_van, local artists Wycliffe Mundopa, Gresham Nyaude, Mavis Tauzeni, Moffat Takadiwa and Joe Chinomona. 

Kunstvlaai Festival - Amsterdam, The Netherlands

First Floor Gallery Harare took part in the Kunstvlaai Festival of Independents in Amsterdam (23 November to 2 December 2012). For the festival, the gallery made a short film: First Steps to show the journey that the gallery has travelled thus far and also brought works by Moffat Takadiwa and Wycliffe Mundopa. The 2012 edition, 'INexactly THIS' is a dynamic staging of exhibitions, live arts, film screenings, archival presentations, lectures and workshops. The festival encourages qualities of speculation, collaboration and generous openness found within diverse models for self-organization, autonomous practice and the role of education in the cultural field.
http://www.kunstvlaai.nl/2012/#body

Harare Haarare | Harare does not sleep Exhibition at FFGH

Opening 16 November 2012
Harare Haarare is an exhibition developed by visiting US artist and Full Bright Scholar Janet Goldner with First Floor Gallery Harare artists as a culmination of her workshop called “Self analysis and Critique in the Fine Arts" where through analysis, conversation, cooperation and writing the artists develop a better understanding of their practice as well as the importance for all artists to work together in communicating publically about their work and developing audiences for contemporary visual art in Zimbabwe. 

Africa Not Reachable Solo Exhibition at FFGH

Opening: 27 September 2012
First Floor Gallery Harare opened doors to its new space with a first major solo show for Moffat Takadiwa, the gallery's curatorial director and leading artist. It is was an important statement for the gallery in opening doors to artists developing serious bodies of work and being given the space to develop their creative vision to the maximum. The exhibition titled “Africa Not Reachable” is an iconic statement on the amount of imported products that Zimbabweans are consuming and discarding. 

Painting Performed at Chimanimani Arts Festival 2012

In August, First Floor Gallery  did a live performance painting  event at Chimanmani Arts Festival.  Stretching a giant 14 metre long canvas on the Blue Moon Club, First Floor Gallery artists and Mutare young artists, attacked the canvas to the sounds of hip-hop from the likes of Synik, Karisma, Tehn Diamond and local acts like Black Scorpion. The audience was wowed by energetic brushstrokes, splashing of color and hand painting of young artists so much so that without any warning a crowd rushed at the canvas wanting to take part. 

Vasikana Vedu- HIFA Exhibition at The Basement 

Vasikana Vedu brought together during HIFA 2012 in May , five very different artists Sabina Mutsvati, who works with installation and fashion, Mavis Tauzeni painter, Anne Mutema, who works with mixed media, Chido Nyabinde-Nyatsuro a print-maker and Varaidzo Gwede a sculptor working with metal and wood in a performance celebration staged at The Basement Nightclub. We were also thrilled to be able to include an international and new media element to the exhibition, with Transit an African premier of a brand new audiovisual work from German artist Stefanie Sixt.

Painting Performed at The Basement Nightclub

23 February 2012
Painting Performed” was an innovative on stage painting and music performance at the packed and enthusiastic Basement Nightclub led by Nico Phooko in collaboration with some of Harare’s best emerging painters like Mavis Tauzeni and Gresham Nyaude. The artists created work inspired by traditional and experimental Zimbabwean music live on stage by Abundance Mutori, James Buzuzi, Miti Mugande as well as poets like Batsirai Chigama and PSP, with many others joining into an all arts celebration.

Harare beyond words at H Gallery - Bangkok, Thailand

Opening: 09 January 2012
H Gallery presented in Bangkok, Thailand a groundbreaking show of contemporary art from Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare. In the shadows beyond the international political headlines about Zimbabwe, art and culture continues to thrive and the works Brian Banda, Zacharaha Magasa, Wycliff Mundopa, Terence Musekiwa and Moffatt Takadiwa share the realities of their compatriots and amid the struggles for keeping families together and urban frictions these artists create music, color and poetry.