Zimbabwean art finds global resonance in two new exhibitions

Artgal.Online


In recent years, both market and institutional interest in contemporary African art has surged, and a new landscape of artists from the continent is quickly rising. Founded by Dennis Ruf, who is also the co-founder of Swiss-Zim Heritage Gallery, Artgal.Online champions Zimbabwean art and artists, offering insight into both the rich creative traditions of the country, and the dialogues that arise when juxtaposed with other international contexts. Two upcoming exhibitions facilitated by Artgal.Online present an opportunity to explore Zimbabwean and other contemporary African art.

Debuting November 28, 2025, is “Heritage & Horizons,” which can be viewed both online and in-person in Berlin, with exact venue details forthcoming. Exhibiting Zimbabwean artists within the milieu of Berlin’s own robust art scene invites dialogue around how history, heritage, and material exploration influence and inform artmaking today across countries and cultures.

A painted depiction of an African woman walking barefoot, carrying a large bucket balanced on her head. She wears a red blouse, a yellow skirt, and a turquoise headscarf, with a baby tied to her back using a blue cloth. The baby holds a small yellow object. The background features faint text and imagery from a printed magazine page, partially visible beneath the brushstrokes, including the heading “The art of sowing” by Lindsay Gray. The artwork blends realism and collage, highlighting resilience and everyday life through expressive color and texture. Presented by Artgal.Online

Keith Zenda, From Seeds to Strength (2025). Courtesy of Artgal.Online.

“Berlin marks both an end and a beginning” said Ruf, “‘Heritage & Horizons’ closes our 2025 season by bridging continents through art—affirming that heritage is living, transforming, and shared. It leads directly into our next chapter as we deepen our roots and widen our horizons.”

“Heritage & Horizons” includes both figurative and abstract works, ranging from mixed-media compositions from Flatter Zenda to a painting by Barry Lungu, whose compositions elevate everyday moments to near mythos.

An abstract mixed-media painting featuring overlapping shapes, textures, and patterns inspired by African textiles. Dominant colors include deep reds, golds, blues, and earthy browns, with intricate geometric motifs outlined in gold. The composition suggests intertwined forms resembling fabric, masks, or figures, symbolizing cultural connection and unity. In the upper right, a small rectangular inset with soft blue and yellow tones contrasts with the richly detailed main surface. The overall texture is layered and weathered, evoking a sense of history and interconnected heritage. Presented by Artgal.Online

Flatter Zenda, The Ties that Bind Us (2025). Courtesy of Artgal.Online.

“Our artists carry stories that travel—through color, texture, and symbol,” Ruf added, “in Berlin we celebrate that journey, and with the Artgal Zim Center we create a home for it: a place to learn, mentor, archive and dream, so the next generation can stand taller.”

Later in the year, Artgal.Online and Swiss-Zim Heritage will jointly stage “Roots & Horizons – Christmas Edition,” a seasonal show that platforms artists whose work reflects the diverse facets of heritage, identity, and spiritual renewal. Viewable online as well as at the Art84 Gallery in Zimbabwe’s capital city of Harare, the exhibition promises visitors a sweeping look at how Zimbabwean artists—both established and emerging—engage with their ancestral roots to find new pathways forward into the future.

“‘Roots & Horizons – Christmas Edition’ is more than an exhibition,” said Ruf, “it’s a reflection of gratitude. As the year closes, we celebrate the artists who remind us of where we come from and the possibilities ahead. This season, we wanted to bring art closer to everyone—online and in person—because art unites us. It transcends borders and, like the holidays, invites warmth and shared humanity.”

From realistic canvases by Nokuthula Mpofu and otherworldly portraits by Florah Maphosa to photorealistic drawings by Willard Mujuru and fantastical scenes painted by Keith Zenda, the exhibition traverses subject and medium to bring to life a comprehensive artistic world of possibility.


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