Terrence Musekiwa
the Telephones, 2018-2023

With these carved stone and phone receiver works, Musekiwa speaks to the complicated relationship of two histories that make up current-day Zimbabwe. The methods and tools Musekiwa uses to carve stone are directly linked to the passed down traditional practices that are still at the core of Shona culture. The phones date back to the early 1960s, directly referencing Zimbabwe’s colonial past as Rhodesia. By combining the two elements, Musekiwa invokes the internal duality of today’s Zimbabwean identity, and continues adding elements and materials offering each character deeper specificity and personality. Each series grows from the last, together bringing to life a short history of Zimbabwe’s past few years.