The nude human form has always been a topic of controversy
in the conservative Zimbabwean culture and when nudity is displayed in works of
art, it often provokes fierce resistance from sections of society.
While in other countries like neighbouring South Africa and
the United States, among others, nudity in art sells just like any other form
of art, locally, it is met with mixed reactions and only the bold ones would
brave themselves for such type of an art.
In what appears to be the “new trend”, from their dressing,
dirty sexy lyrics that has been mainly associated with an array of dancehall
singers among them Soul Jah Love, Seh Calaz, Killer T, Jah Signal, Lady
Squanda, Lady B and Platinum Price to PG-rated videos, local artistes appear to
be slowly tapping into the Hollywood products.
Unexpectedly, these Zimdancehall chanters openly confess
that they are completely unfazed about how their art is interpreted by the
consumers of their products.
Whether it is creativity coming through the excessive
exposure to the Hollywood products or seeking attention, it is definitely
something that raises more questions than answers.
Recently Netherlands-based Zimbabwean songstress Vimbai
Zimuto sent tongues wagging as she touched off a storm on different social
media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp over her nudes which she,
however, heavily defended as a form of art.
Of late, Zimuto has been posting a series of pictures in
her birthday suit and has amassed over thousands of views, which has become a
hot subject with general concern on the local showbiz scene and across other
spectrums that Zimuto was making mortal dents on the local scene as nudity has
no scope in society.
While locally, nudity might be perceived as immoral, and
has no space of acceptance, it has, however, been prevalent of late in showbiz
circles with many local artistes appearing to be of the view that for a video
to be successful it has to show less body cover, leaving nothing to the
imagination and the song too has to be laden with dirty lyrics.
There is no doubt that sex sells in any art, but not in
Zimbabwe where the trend appears to be taking root with bedroom antics nothing
short of pornography being laid bare in many of the local night clubs by the
majority of dancers. Famous pole dancers Zoey Sifelani and Beverly “Bev”
Sibanda’s names are among those being on many people’s lips.
From leaked sex tapes of celebrities like rapper Stunner
and socialite Pokello, radio and television personality-cum-actress Tinopona
Katsande, songbird Tererai Mugwadi, rapper Zhetstar and actor Denzel “Jabu”
Burutsa, that is definitely a new wave of artistes who are no doubt different
from those of the late 80s such as the late sungura maestro Leonard Dembo,
music superstar Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi and Mbuya Stella Chiweshe, who made
great strides on the showbiz scene.
Interestingly, it appears as there is an increasing craving
for nudity and vulgar content among a significant section of followers of
showbiz matters. Could this be an influencing factor among these artistes?
Taking a closer look at the late 80s music and videos,
there is a widening gap that is being witnessed though it must be appreciated
that music evolves just like culture which is also dynamic.
In a sense of trying to be morally correct, and sensitive
about the issue of nudity locally, at one point the then deputy minister of
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Walter Kanhanga was grilled by senators during
a question-and-answer session in the Senate on why his ministry had allowed
semi-nude people (Samba dancers from Brazil) to stroll on the streets during
the Harare International Carnival.
Chiefs’ Council president Fortune Charumbira on several
occasions has come out guns blazing on issues of nudity such that he is on
record accusing the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the organisers of the carnival,
of being hypocritical by portraying the event as cultural, yet it displays
nudity which is against the Zimbabwean cultures.
In an interview with Standard Style, some creatives
expressed mixed feelings over nudity in showbiz.
An educational psychologist and music critic, Fred Zindi,
said Zimuto was not supposed to parade herself in her birthday suit as she had
such an amazing talent, adding that her nudity was an embarrassement to her
family.
“It makes me sad when I see an artiste who has extreme
talent showing off her nudity. Does sexualisation sell music? I wonder, this is
embarrassing to the Zimuto family, if not to all Zimbabweans as this is against
African culture although she thinks this is being an African woman,” he said.
“I personally don’t see the reason why she needs to expose
herself like this when she has such an amazing talent. She just has to be
patient, her time will come.”
United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean actress and choreographer
Enisia Mashusha said while art endeavours to express emotions to be understood
by all human souls, artistes do not have to be nude for them to be appreciated.
“Sadly, Zimbabwean female artistes are labelled as sex
objects and people of loose morals in our society. Not that I am dictating what
a woman can and cannot wear and that I might be taking a step backwards because
it denies the freedom that everyone should have, but I strongly believe that it
is important not to support the idea that all a woman has to offer is her
body,” she said.
Theatre artiste and political activist Silvanos Mudzvova
said there was no definition for what is right or wrong in the arts, adding
that nudes were optional.
“If it is Colombian singer Shakira or American singers
Beyonce and Madonna, there is nothing wrong with their nudity in art, but when
it is our own female artistes we attack them. When South African dancer and
socialite Zodwa Wabantu, famed for not wearing undies, came to Private Lounge
in Bulawayo, many paid to watch her, yet it was 100% nudity, but when it is
done by our own they are outraged,” he said.
“I do political theatre, hit-and-run theatre, developmental
theatre, so if at any time my plays demand that I become naked as a means of
expression, I will definitely go naked on the stage. I cannot just be naked for
no reason. In the case of singer Vimbai Zimuto, she uses nudity as a way of
expressing her feelings towards any topic and that is being brave,
open-spirited and progressive.”
Mudzvova said those critics who cite culture on Zimuto’s
case should be reminded that there were many cultural norms that women have
complained about as being oppressive and using that same culture narrative in
her case is oppressive as well.
“How many musical videos have you watched that have nudity
and you still watch them, why? I have watched Vimbai Zimuto’s videos and they
are good. Money and nudity in arts, this issue there is no need to expand on
it. It is clear that nudity pays in the arts and that has been proved many
times,” he said.
Arts critic Benjamin Nyandoro said: “Good art is disruptive
and provokes thought. It delivers multiple meanings and interpretations. Nudity
is looking at, you need to look through.”
Clayton Ndlovu, posting on social media platform Facebook,
said sexualisation sells music and it’s part of art.
“There are many artistes who have chosen to do whatever
with their artistry and it’s not a problem. Some even perform naked and many
throng to see them for example Zodwa Wabantu. Vimbai exposes her body we
criticise her for being naked when she is coming up with a different angle in
terms of her creativity,” he said.
Ndlovu said people should not be quick to suppress others
in the name of our culture.
“When will our African sisters be themselves and do what
they want to do? Our African girls need to be bold and take creativity to
different levels without fear or favour and we should not judge them and lower
their esteem based on our own biases,” he said.
“We make it as if nudity is unAfrican, why? She [Zimuto]
just showed her beautiful body, that is all. “Yet the criticism is more than
for those who have done sex tapes. Vimbai, do your thing.”
In a bold move, creative artist and designer Darius
Mutamba, as part of her final-year academic exhibition, sought to debunk the
belief that nudity was taboo as he showcased photography, print works,
three-dimensional sculpture, drawings and paintings centred on nudity at KooVah
Gallery in Harare.
Mutamba, in an interview with our sister paper NewsDay Life
&Style on the sidelines of the exhibition, said the exhibition represented
his ideals of freedom of expression, open-mindedness, individualism and
identity while at the same time celebrating the human form through a mythical
and artistic story.
“With the Object of Desire exhibition, my attempt is to
draw mankind’s attention to the nude human form and encourage debate and
appreciation on it and enable me to present my perspective of it and the
thoughts it provokes,” he said.
“The image of the nude body reminds me that sexuality and
mortality are our very nature and that the beauty of our animality cannot be
separated from the beauty of our spirituality. The nude is an image of unity,
of spirit incarnate and matter imbued with life.”
Mutamba said he was inspired to do the nudity art as a
feeling of fulfilment when he creates work of art adding that he cherishes the
heightened pleasure of creating and strive to influence the sensation that
viewers have when they look at his work.
He added that nudity hides neither its eroticism nor its
mortality, but shows the human as a cell of the body of earth.
“The nude is a talisman to heal the ancient division
afflicting humanity and an assertion of the ideals of freedom and triumph over
fundamentalism and fear.
Historically and biblically, the nude figure has been seen
as representing innocence and purity as well as sensuality and sexuality,” he
said.
“The artistic nude can be Apollonian, showing the harmonies
of sacred geometry as embodied in the human form, or it can be Dionysian,
expressing unconstrained energy or emotion; power and weakness, pride and
shame, pleasure and pain. All these are the experiences of being in the flesh
and all can be shown in the image of the flesh.”
May those local artistes who want to engage or are already
in this trend of nudity disguised as passion of art be at least reminded that
people walked half-naked during the colonial era not by design, but because of
the times as man was still on the discovering path. Standard
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