Kudzanai Chiurai / Dying to be men / 2009

Goodman Gallery is pleased to announce the first solo exhibition in Cape Town by young Zimbabwean artist Kudzanai Chiurai. Based in Johannesburg, Chiurai’s practice as an artist and activist has garnered him considerable attention. Whilst working within the formal gallery system, his practice is also located in informal networks and situations. In the lead-up to the 2008 Zimbabwean elections Chiurai distributed stencils highlighting its political situation at solidarity meetings, creating a viral campaign in the streets of Johannesburg. This was followed by the publication of a series of open edition agitprop posters.

Dying to be Men continues Chiurai’s interest in the aesthetics of propaganda, and interrogates the visual legacy of political representation. At the convergence of major political events – elections in South Africa, the USA and Zimbabwe – Chiurai hones in on aspects of the image of the black president and his cabinet in particular. As such, the works on show unpack notions of masculinity and power, as evocatively suggested by the title of the exhibition.

Chiurai completed a BAFA at the University of Pretoria and has participated in a number of local and international group exhibitions, including the Dakar Biennale, Senegal, African Now, a traveling exhibition in Scandinavia, as well as New Painting, a local traveling exhibition in 2006. His work is represented in the collections of BHP Biliton and Nando’s UK , amongst others.