LONDON.- This month, a fascinating collection of rediscovered early works by young Zimbabwean painters can be seen by the public for the first time in almost seventy years. The Stars are Bright: Zimbabwe through the eyes of its young painters from Cyrene (1940-1947), a free exhibition, is on view at The Theatre Courtyard Green Rooms in Shoreditch, one of many celebrations of London’s arts world reopening this summer.

The Stars are Bright presents a collection of extraordinary paintings and drawings created by more than forty young Zimbabwean artists over a seven-year period and captures their unique perspectives on the changing world around them. It includes works by Samuel Songo, Kingsley Sambo, Timothy Dhlodhlo and others who went on to become the precursors to Zimbabwean Modern Art.

Having been preserved in the basement of the former St Michael and All Angels’ Church, a six-minute walk from where they are now being displayed, the works have not been publicly exhibited together since the 1950s.

The Stars are Bright comes at a critical time to share the story of African artists and their work. It sheds much-deserved light on these young artists and this vital chapter of Zimbabwe’s art history. After the exhibition, the artworks will tour Zimbabwe to be shown there for the first time since the 1940s.




Selected from a more substantial collection, the 25 large paintings and more than 50 smaller works were created while the artists were students aged 10 to 20 at Cyrene, a boys’ mission school founded in 1940 near Bulawayo in colonial Zimbabwe (then known as Southern Rhodesia) by Edward “Ned” Paterson, a Scottish clergyman. Paterson, who was passionate about the visual arts, had the pupils take part in weekly art classes, making it one of the first African schools to incorporate art into the curriculum.

Inspired by the varied surrounding landscape, a country in the midst of change, and a rich practice of religion and folklore, the young men produced a unique and vast body of artwork out of their life and culture. This exhibition highlights the richness and variety of techniques, styles and themes, whilst offering an insight into key moments of Zimbabwe’s life and culture during this colonial phase.

Just ten days after the lock-down on galleries has been lifted, The Stars are Bright joins the celebration of life returning to London. Various measures have been implemented to safeguard the health and safety of visitors, including the requirement to pre-book a time slot, a one-way route through the exhibition and reminders at the venue about social distancing. Children are welcome and will find engaging activities throughout the exhibition.

Exhibition co-curators Georgia Ward, Chiedza Mhondoro and Jessica Ihejatoh say: “When we began organising The Stars are Bright, which takes its title from a work in the exhibition by Musa Nyahwa dated 1945, we could never have imagined just how much the world would change around us. It is a critical time to share the work of Black artists past and present. We encourage viewers to let their imagination take inspiration from the environment in which the artworks were made. The Cyrene paintings remind us that there is no single story of African Art. This exhibition is an exploration of life, the natural world, spirituality and change, all guided by Zimbabwe's bright young stars.”
The Stars are Bright is produced by Idili Live and presented by The Belvedere Trust.

Trustee Alex Gabriele says: “This exhibition and collection of paintings exemplifies The Belvedere Trust’s values: excellence in education and inspiration of many young artists. In these difficult times, we want to create a safe space for people to enjoy some sense of normalcy and a connection with the natural world. We hope the public will enjoy The Stars are Bright as much as we have enjoyed being a part of the project.”