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Starting this week, visitors at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden will have a chance to experience authentic Zimbabwean art and refreshments in honor of Africa Day. This celebration will begin on May 25 and will run through Memorial Day, May 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to a release.
Garden attendees will have the opportunity to view more than 100 stunning sculptures created by contemporary Zimbabwean artists who are all part of the limited engagement ZimSculpt. This limited sculpting engagement is part of a global exhibition that allows Zimbabwean sculptors to create unique art that is either available for purchase online or in the space it was created.
The Africa Day celebration will offer complimentary light African refreshments including peanuts and mopane worms, a staple part of the diet in rural areas of Zimbabwe, which are considered a delicacy.
But that’s not all.
Other celebratory offerings include the sounds of traditional Mbira music, which attendees can experience on:
- May 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- May 26 from 1 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- May 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For all you art fans, there will be short curator talks at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and on-site demonstrations by two Zimbabwean sculptors, Brighton Layson (a former machinist fitter-turned-artist whose works have been exhibited around the world), and Passmore Mupindiko, a long-running ZimSculpt artist-in-residence noted for his distinctive leaf bowls (birdbaths).
Admission to the ZimSculpt exhibit is included in the Garden’s general price of admission. All visitors who mention “Africa Day” on May 25-29 will receive a 20% discount. Additionally, the first 20 visitors to the ZimSculpt exhibit will receive a souvenir giveaway.
Formerly known as African Freedom Day, Africa Day commemorates the creation of the African Union, and is celebrated across the African continent and in countries throughout the African diaspora.
The 2023 Africa Day celebration is particularly significant, as it recognizes the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Charter for the Organization of African Unity that called for greater unity among African nations and their liberation from colonialism and apartheid.
“We hope that Fort Worth-Dallas residents will take advantage of this opportunity to visit ZimSculpt and learn more about the vibrant traditions, artistry, and cultures of Africa,” says ZimSculpt founder Vivienne Prince. “Many of our beautiful Zimbabwean sculptures are inspired by themes of unity, freedom, and hope that are central to the ideas embodied in Africa Day; these works will be especially meaningful to us on May 25.”
