Grace Nyahangare

born 2 Sept., 1996, Harare, Zimbabwe

Nyahangare is a painter who bases her practice on elements of photography and printmaking. She starts off with a memory or a photograph, which is then transformed into a monotype, and then finally into a painting. The artwork undergoes multiple transformations, which explains why her work is so bright and dreamlike. She studied Visual Art at the National Gallery School of Visual Arts and Design and is based in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Nyahangare is part of a new generation of Zimbabwean artists who are exploring the process of artmaking and pushing the boundaries of materials. Zimbabwe has had a very turbulent history, including colonialism, a liberation war and the problems that plague many post-colonial African countries such as unemployment and poverty. This new generation of artists explore these themes and the impact of these traumas on inter-personal relationships.

How does violence and conflict affect us as people, and how do we heal from it? Apart from living in such a turbulent context, Nyahangare has also experienced personal trauma - eager to start her career in the art world, she was overjoyed when she was offered a job at an art fair in the UAE. However, this opportunity sadly turned out to be a scam. Her passport was confiscated, and she was forced to work as a waitress. She was forced to work 14-hour shifts, and was subject to much racism and abuse. This is a form of human trafficking and slavery that is practiced today. Thankfully, she was able to hatch an escape plan and return to Zimbabwe after three years. This experience, along with motherhood, informs her work.

Creating art is not only an act of healing for Nyahangare. It is also a form of activism. She uses her art to explore memory, womanhood and motherhood in a post-colonial Zimbabwe. She investigates what these terms mean after colonialism, and in a new democracy.