Shaping Up: Art drawings, Essays, Poetry and Interpretations

Rinos Mwanaka

Description

Shaping Up is more personal and intimate than the author's previous works. The poems and images reflect a period while he was living outside of Zimbabwe, in South Africa. The immigrant experience gives the work a more personal, closed, abstracted feel driven by loneliness of the exilitic condition. Living in the element, uninhibited and careless can help deal with confounding, controversial issues more easily, this theme can be dissected from the drawings to do with sex, sexuality and gender issues. The line breaks, whirls, thins out, sometimes is bold, sometimes is barely there, thus the drawings straddle the tenuousness of time and life.

Sujets

• African
• Zimbabweans in South Africa
• African people
• List of African writers by country
• Poetry

Informations

• Publié par: Mwanaka Media and Publishing
• Date de parution: 31 août 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 3
• EAN13: 9781779272614
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 23 Mo

Extrait

previous works, the poems and images reflect a period while he was living outside of Zimbabwe, in South Africa. The immigrant experience gives the work a more personal, closed, abstractetd feel driven by loneliness of the exilitic condition. Living in the element, uninhibited and careless can help deal with confounding, controversial issues more easily, this theme can be dissected from the drawings to do with sex, sexuality and gender issues. The line

there, thus the drawings straddle the tenuousness of time and life.

mentor, thinker, literary artist, visual artist and musical artist with over 40 books published. He writes in English and Shona. His

over 30 countries, and translated into Spanish, Shona, Serbian, Arabic, Bengali, Tamil, Macedonian, Albanian, Hungarian, Russian, Romanian, French and German.

Shaping Up Shaping Up

Art drawings, Essays, Poetry & Interpretations - 2017-2019 -

TENDAI RINOS MWANAKA

Shaping Up Art drawings, Essays, Poetry and Interpretations 2017-2019 Tendai Rinos Mwanaka

Mwanaka Media and Publishing Pvt Ltd, Chitungwiza Zimbabwe * Creativity, Wisdom and Beauty i

Publisher: Mmap Mwanaka Media and Publishing Pvt Ltd 24 Svosve Road, Zengeza 1 Chitungwiza Zimbabwe [e-mail] www.africanbookscollective.com/publishers/mwanaka-media-and-publishing https://facebook.com/MwanakaMediaAndPublishing/ Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookscollective.com ISBN: 978-1-77925-580-8 EAN: 978-1-77925-580-8 © Tendai Rinos Mwanaka 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording, or be stored in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher DISCLAIMER All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mmap .

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Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………viii Vessels of Dreams ( artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………...1 Vessels of Dreams ( Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………..2 We are: the vessels of dreams (poem): Smeetha Bhoumik (India)…3 sail past today (poem): Riak Marial Riak (South Sudan)………………….4 SHATERRED HOPE (poem): Jonathan Isah (Nigeria)…………………5 VESSEL OF DREAMS (poem): Prosper Kavunika (Zimbabwe)……6 You are a vessel of dreams (poem): Cosmas Shoko (Zimbabwe)….7 The Dreamed Body (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………..8 The Dreamed Body (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………..9 You stand in my dreams like Kilimanjaro (poem): Obbina Chilekezi..10 Park Bench Dreams (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………11 Park Bench Dreams (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………..12 Park Bench Life (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………13 Park Bench Life( Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………14 Spaghetti Road Dreams (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………15 Spaghetti Road Dreams ( Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……..16 Wings in the Wind (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………..17 Wings in the Wind( Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………….18 TO THE WIND( Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………..19 Crossing (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………………21 Crossing( Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………..22 An Eye for Sky (poem): Smeetha Bhoumik…………………………………23 Exit (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………………………..24 Exit (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………………….25 Waiting for the Humans (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………….26 Waiting for the Humans (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …….27 Taking up Arms (poem):Cleave Fortizo (Zimbabwe)…………………..28

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Untitled (poem):Maria Manuel Menezes (Sao Tome and Principe/Portugal)………………………………………………………………………..29 Let’s allow love to shine (poem): Obinna Chilekezi………………………30 The Big Five and 2 (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………..32 The Big Five and 2 (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………….33 Horse Racing (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………34 Horse Racing (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………35 The Policeman’s Dog (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………….36 The Policeman’s Dog (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………..37 shadow animal (poem translated by Don Cellini): Ingrid Bringas (Mexico)................................................................................................38 The Irony (poem): Roberto de Khalifa Kenya)……………………………..39 Hyena’s Shape Shift (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………40 Hyena’s Shape Shift (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………41 THE HYENA IN ME (poem): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………….42 Feeder and Feeding (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………..44 Feeder and Feeding (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………45 Letting the dead bury the dead (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …..46 Letting the dead bury the dead (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………………………………………………………………………………47 Untitled (poem): Mitchelle M. Mhaka (Zimbabwe)……………………..48 A Flower Zimbabwe as Much Loved (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………………………………………………………………………………50 A Flower Zimbabwe as Much Loved (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………………………………………………………………51 Sekelgrass’s View (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………..52 Sekelgrass’s View (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………….53 He Cries (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………………54 He Cries (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………..55 BEING AN ORPHAN (essay): Saleh Clarissa (Kenya)…………………56 What I Saw (poem): Smeetha Bhoumik……………………………………….58

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Collecting Alms (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………60 Collecting Alms (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………….61 MINHA MÃE MARIA ou JOSEFA Domingos Cupa (poema): (Angola)……………………………………………………………………………………62 MY MOTHER MARIA or JOSEFA (poem) Domingos Cupa......63 My Life (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………………65 My Life (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………66 My Life (poem): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………………….67 Lost in words (poem): Nnane Ntube (Cameroon).............................71 Sentimental Synonyms (poem): Gabriel Awuah Mainoo (Ghana)…73 A world of words (poem): Tanyaradzwa Rebecca Kwerengwe (Zimbabwe)………………………………………………………………………………74 Writer’s Couch (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………..76 Writer’s Couch (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………..77 Connections that bind! (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………..78 Connections that bind! (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………..79 IT'S STILL HELD AT DAWN (poem): Lawal Mutalib Tunde (Nigeria)................................................................................................80 kNot-tied Ecalpar Nayika (South Africa)...................82(poem): Andile Sex (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………………………..83 Sex (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………………..84 Lovers (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………………………85 Lovers (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………..86 The Broken Pitcher poem): Jonathan Isah (Nigeria)……………………87 The Lovemakers (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………….88 The Lovemakers (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………89 Lovers’ Trophy (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………90 Lovers’ Trophy (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………91 The Penisist (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………….92 The Penisist (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………..93 The All-Knowing Sperm (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………….94

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The All-Knowing Sperm (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………..95 Below Every Woman Lies (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………..96 Below Every Woman Lies (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……97 Drinking your heart out (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………….98 Drinking your heart out (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……….99 Woman Smarts (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………100 Woman Smarts (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………101 Is that a petal or a rose? (poem): Munya G Bopoto (Zimbabwe)…102 She opens like 808 (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………….103 She opens like 808 (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………104 1-9 (poem): Tendai Rinos Mwanaka…………………………………………….105 She Glows (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………………108 She Glows (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………109 Dolphin Mind (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………110 Dolphin Mind (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………….111 Hapti-Dots (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………………112 Hapti-Dots (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………..113 Human curves, lines, residues… (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …..114 Human curves, lines, residues… (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………………………………………………………………………..115 African mother (poem): Archie Swanson………………………………….116 Muti Une Ndebvu (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………..117 Muti Une Ndebvu (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………….118 The Impossibility of Choosing to Live (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………………………………………………………………………….119 The Impossibility of Choosing to Live (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………………………………………………………………120 The Things That Make Us Human (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………………………………………………………………………………………..121 The Things That Make Us Human (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………………………………………………………………………122

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Human noises (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………123 Human noises (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………124 The Praying Mantissa (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………..125 The Praying Mantissa (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………..126 Noah’s Basket Dilemmas (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………….127 Noah’s Basket Dilemmas (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …..128 The Fire mouth beast (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ………………..129 The Fire mouth beast (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ………..130 Impossible Boundaries (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………….131 Impossible Boundaries (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……..132 Satellites (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………………133 Satellites (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………134 Outer Space Visitor (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka …………………135 Outer Space Visitor (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka …………..136 Planet and Galaxies ordering (artwork): Tendai R Mwanaka ….137 Planet and Galaxies ordering (Interpretation): Tendai R Mwanaka ……………………………………………………………………………………………..138 Mmap Multidisciplinary Series…………………………………………139

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Introduction As I noted in my first collection of drawings, that came out a couple of years ago as Drawing Without Licence , in the introduction note, I touched on my artistic practice, “I started doing these drawings without knowing whether I was any good in the field, and so I took the Amateur’s stand, doing things because you just love doing them and doing them without any approval or acknowledgement or grooming and trying to develop as you go through the activity. I do not ask permission to society, the art institutions, ideologues, cultures…, to create the way I choose in these artworks. I am not looking for this approval thus I can do whatever I feel like doing without worrying about what the experts in the field would say or think about them, without respect for institutions or ideologies, or generally, rules.” It is with this amatuer stand I continue in Shaping Up my artistic practise and artwork. Though its not the focus of this collection of drawings but the supernatural is still very much one of the haunts, as I noted in Drawing Without Licence,  “I have realized I have been unconsciously probing, in most of the drawings in this collection, the realms of supernatural, wondrous, superstitious, sometimes weirdly; ghouls, animals, constellations, plants, people, beings; by inviting our connection to the infinite through specific moments of transcendence and the everyday wonder of life on earth.” Shaping Up is more personal and intimate, in that what I was going through that period became the focus of my drawings. I was living in South Africa and living outside your country of origin gives your artwork that personal, closed, abstracted feel driven by loneliness of the exilitic condition. You are living in the element, and you tend to have an uninhibited and careless attitude and can deal with confounding, controversial issues easily, as can be dissected from my drawings to do with sex, sexuality and gender issues. The line breaks, whirls, thins out,

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sometimes its bold, sometimes its barely there, thus the drawings straddles the tenousnous of time and life. In Shaping Up , just like in Drawing Without Licence , I explored a gamut of issues to do with memory, relationships, consciousness, orientation, constellations, connection, anger, hurt, loss, issues to do with our humanity, and the human noise we are always making. I also experimented with spiral drawings, line drawings, abstracts, sketches, haptics, repair, cracks, with symbolism, figurative, impressionism, imagism, surrealism, expressionism etc, with graphite pencil, colour pencils, watercolours, pen and ink.” What I have realized from all the anthologies I have done is the lack of poems, stories, essays that grapples with visual art from especially African writers I have published, so I decided to interest the poets and writers to respond to my drawings with written pieces to each artwork, as best as they could. This plays at the heart of my art practice, the multidisciplinary and collaborative nature of my practice, which I also noted in Drawing Without Licence, work as an artist takes the “My multidisciplinary and collaborative approach as I use a lot of art mediums to explore my ideas, including painting, photography, drawings, video, installation, the literary field, and the sound/musical fields, and I am always on the open to work around any of these. I want my drawings to be musical graphite sound-fields: always vibrating, always oscillating, always melodic. I want to create multi-voiced assertions and hesitations, yet my work has to be full of silences, noises, voids, ghosts, residues, and remainders.” Art is supposed to tackle things that we don’t say...things deep down our psyche. Art might hurt but it’s always truthful. Art is art...there is nothing above, below, behind, ahead of it. As an artist I believe there is no other thinker inside me or outside me!

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