The literary and visual arts festival of the National Institute of Allied Arts which began on Saturday (October 10) at the National Gallery of Harare has attracted 1,550 poems and essays and 1,768 art works, making it the largest cultural event in Zimbabwe in terms of artist participation. The competition is open to writers and artists of all ages.

This year’s visual arts festival runs under the theme “All Great and Small”. Adjudicator and internationally acclaimed artist Kate Raath said that the quality of work this year is “remarkably high.

^ Little furry creature. One of the entries at this year's NIAA literary and visual arts festival. National Gallery, Harare.

“Throughout the judging we gave preference to original, creative works of art – although some of my markers were surprised when I marked down a beautifully copied bird from a book and similar works,” Raath said.

“We gave additional marks to works using recycled junk and natural items – and fewer marks to cut-outs, particularly when it was apparent that hands other than the child’s had done the cutting.”

This is Raath’s 11th year as adjudicator and she says that the standard is still remarkably high, in spite of the difficulties schools are facing. “We judged work on newsprint done in pencil on creativity and ability, not on the quality of the materials. Despite the real problems schools face there are some remarkable art teachers out there.”

She was, however, disappointed to see no entries from Chisipite and only one or two from Arundel and St George’s. “The top schools need to show the rest of us the way forward – although I appreciate that they too have problems with teachers.

The pre-school entries of paintings and sculptures of creepy crawly creatures came up with a lovely collection of beetles, bugs and caterpillars with beautiful smiles. Raath encouraged teachers to avoid using pastel colours with little children, to encourage them to work from nature – “Take them for a walk, show them a silkworm “– and to fill up their pages.

^ The festival attracted over 3,000 entries.

Grades I and II produced works on the theme “Comfortable Creatures”. There were lots of cats, dogs, horses, rabbits and chickens – although some pictures did not really fit the theme. Raath advised teachers not to use stencils or to trace and to avoid using several different techniques in each picture.

“Mini flying creatures” produced a collection of colourful butterflies from Grades III, IV and V. “This was a big class with high standards – it is no disgrace to be awarded a second grade, I assure you. It offered a wonderful opportunity to combine science and art – look at the creature closely from different angles and then draw, paint or sculpt it.” Less successful were pictures that had butterflies stuck on them – these did not appear to be an integral part of the work.

Grades VI and VII did less well with their theme, “Scaly creatures.” Raath pointed out the mermaids are not actually creatures and art does not look well done in muddy colours.

Younger secondary school pupils drew feathered creatures and again Raath urged them to draw from reality, not a static book or picture. “I would like to encourage art teachers to take children out and about – perhaps to a bird sanctuary or the museum,” she said.

Forms III and IV did well with their “Creatures in Camouflage” but the sixth form students’ works of mythical creatures were disappointing, with very few entries, lots of blood and gore and much of the work derived from computer games.

Bev Abrahams, festival director of the literary section, said that the standard this year was high and she particularly praised the poetry of the younger children which, she feels, is much more creative and relevant to Zimbabwe than that of the older ones.

She has been involved in the festival for 15 years and its voluntary director for the last six – Kate Raath has been adjudicating for 11 years. “I’m an English teacher and I see the need to develop creative writing,” Abrahams said.

^ The exhibition of selected work will run for three weeks at the National Gallery in Harare.

“There is not much opportunity for creative people to compete outside this festival. It is important to be able to measure your ability against the rest of the country, not just your school, and it is a stepping-stone to writing as a career. She won a certificate herself when she was in grade 2 and it is still prized by her mother.
The syllabus goes out six weeks ahead of the judging, which Abrahams does with a team of markers. “We like the work to be hand-written and produced under supervision. Obviously anything copied or downloaded from the Internet is rejected.”

Essays should not be longer than two pages: there is no restriction on the length of the poetry. Top prizes this year go to students from Kyle College in Masvingo, Christian Boys College in Bulawayo and to schoolchildren in Kadoma and Marondera.

All the works that won literary honours are on display at the National Gallery for the next three weeks: the rest have been returned to the schools along with the certificates and 780 of the honours, first and second grade paintings are also on display in a remarkable kaleidoscope of Zimbabwean art. Weaver Press and CBZ BANK sponsor the festivals

The exhibition, which was opened on Saturday by Jacquie Robertson, chairperson of the Conference of the Heads of the Independent Schools of Zimbabwe and headmistress of Chisipite Senior School, in recognition of the willingness of the Association of Trust Schools to sponsor the National Institute of Allied Arts, will run for three weeks.

- Jill Day

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