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Four sculptures chosen for exhibition on legacy of Cecil Rhodes
14 March 2025
More than 100 artists at the Chitungwiza Arts Centre submitted sculptures reflecting on the legacy of Cecil Rhodes in Zimbabwe
Four sculptures by Zimbabwean artists will be displayed at an upcoming exhibition at Oriel College exploring the legacy of Cecil Rhodes. The sculptures are among 110 artworks that were submitted to a competition organised by the Oxford Zimbabwe Arts Partnership (OZAP) for artists at the Chitungwiza Arts Centre, near Harare.
The judges convened on 7 March and agreed on a winner — a creation by Chitungwiza-born artist Wallace Mkankha, 34, entitled “Blindfold Justice”. The winning sculpture will be displayed as the centrepiece of the exhibition at Oriel College. However, the judges also decided that three of the other artworks deserved to feature in the exhibition as well.
The four sculptures will be transported from Zimbabwe to the UK.
The judging panel was chaired by the Provost, Lord Mendoza, who said: “I look forward to viewing Wallace’s sculpture at Oriel College. We had a challenging but engaging judging session. I’m grateful to all the expert judges for their insight to help reach a decision.
“Each sculpture represents a creative form of engagement with the complicated legacy of Cecil Rhodes in Zimbabwe.”
Elleke Boehmer, a Trustee of the Rhodes Trust, Be Manzini, a Zimbabwean UK-based multi-disciplinary artist, and Norbert Shamuyarira, renowned Shona sculptor and OZAP co-founder, were also judges.
The exhibition on the legacy of Cecil Rhodes will open at Oriel College in September 2025, before moving to the University Church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford and potentially touring other institutions across the UK and Zimbabwe.