by Tafara Mugwara
HARARE, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Having spent considerable time at Victoria Falls, near Zimbabwe's prime wildlife sanctuary, Alison Baker has learned the art of incorporating her anti-poaching insights into her works.
As an environmentalist and an animal lover, the Zimbabwean artist said her pieces are inspired by her day-to-day experiences.
"I am inspired firstly by what I see in the field; I am also inspired by immediate conversations, state of the earth, unsung heroes that I work with, people who work hard," Baker told Xinhua during her solo exhibition held in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare on Thursday night.
The artist's collection, titled "A book that cannot be read", currently on display at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, aims to draw awareness toward protecting wildlife and nature, detailing the conflict between human beings and wildlife.
Her paintings on canvas beautifully adorn the walls of the gallery's main hall for visitors to admire. On display were also coils of snares which blended perfectly with the paintings while immersing viewers in the theme of the paintings.
Sand, mud, bone and dead leaves are harmoniously incorporated into her artworks to emphasize the beauty of decay as well as the limits to tolerance and recovery.
Given her work in wilderness areas, she has witnessed firsthand the vulnerability of the world of man and animals, and the ability of the natural world to attempt to survive in the face of destruction.
She believed that humans have an intrinsic connection to the earth; the earth is resilient, but there are limits to tolerance and recovery.
Just like in a painting where one wrong marking can upset the balance of an artwork, the same can be true when it comes to nature, she said.
Baker said art holds an important place in human experience. "One of the very first things a child does is to draw and to paint. One of the very first things man did was to pick up rocks and put them in a circle and a sculptural form. It is essential to us; we make art naturally and instinctively," she said.
The poaching of animals and the destruction of their habitats by humans in search of resources remain major issues in Zimbabwe. Human-animal conflict is becoming commonplace. For example, intensified competition for food and water has resulted in conflicts among animals and humans.
Monika Chanda, an art enthusiast and an attendee of the exhibition, said Baker's artworks have a unique way of speaking to viewers.
"There are so many stories in her artworks which are detailed; the paintings -- you can absolutely fall in love with every piece each time you go through, and there is just something else to love and appreciate," Chanda said.
Raphael Chikukwa, executive director of the Arts Gallery of Zimbabwe, said creating visual art is one of the defining characteristics of the human species.
"Art has always been part and parcel of people because art is the newsletter of society," Chikukwa said.
Zimbabwe has a long artistic tradition traced back to rock paintings from the Early and Late Stone Ages. ■
