THE MASK COMES OFF: GWEN MUSHONGA USES ART TO CHALLENGE IDENTITY AND EXCLUSION

Southerton Business Times

1 hour ago

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By Southerton Business Times | Zimbabwe

For Zimbabwean contemporary textile artist Gwen Mushonga, art is about more than decoration. It is a conversation about identity, inclusion, environmental responsibility, and the people society often fails to see.

Her upcoming solo exhibition, titled Faceless Behind the Mask – An Exploration of Identity, Inclusion and the Unseen Stories Within Us, will present 17 artworks made from reclaimed fabric, threads and other discarded materials.

Her work is made from reclaimed fabric, threads, and mixed waste materials (materials most people throw away). Her pieces are built from textile scraps collected before they reach municipal waste streams. The framing, according to her team, is archival and box-style, designed to protect fragile textile work and keep it intact over time.

The solo exhibition, titled “Faceless Behind the Mask- An exploration of identity, inclusion and the unseen stories within us,” will feature 17 pieces.

For her, the work sits at the meeting point of three issues: climate, identity, and visibility.

That is why she works with what already exists, rather than buying new. What others discard, she reclaims. What others overlook, she makes visible.

The textile industry produces large amounts of waste. A significant share ends up in landfills and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Mushonga’s response is to turn that waste into work that cannot be ignored.

The exhibition also raises a question about who gets seen in creative spaces. Mushonga is working in a field where women like her are rarely given solo platforms, particularly in conversations around climate and human rights.

She has previously transformed fabric offcuts into handbags, dolls and other creative products, using her work to communicate messages of dignity and equal opportunity.

In July 2024, the Zimbabwe Open University also profiled her waste-fabric project at the National Disability Expo, highlighting its role in promoting disability inclusion and challenging stereotypes. The 17-piece exhibition therefore builds on an artistic practice that connects creativity with social advocacy.

It also raises questions about representation in contemporary art spaces, particularly the visibility and opportunities available to women artists working at the intersection of environmental issues and human rights.

Through Faceless Behind the Mask, Mushonga invites audiences to reconsider what they see, what they overlook, and whose stories deserve attention. The mask comes off, not simply to reveal a face, but to challenge the assumptions that conceal the person beneath it. Her message is that identity should not be defined by appearance, labels, or what society chooses to discard.

Sometimes, what the world overlooks carries the greatest value.