Virginia Chihota's First Major European Solo Exhibition 'Kupinduka' Opens at CAAC in Seville

The Andalusian Center of Contemporary Art (CAAC) in Seville is presenting 'Kupinduka,' the first significant solo exhibition in a European institution by Zimbabwean artist Virginia Chihota. Curated by Jimena Blázquez, the show features works created specifically for this presentation, including paintings, drawings on paper, and a textile installation. The exhibition occupies the Monumental Zone of the museum with nine large canvases combining techniques like screen printing, Chinese ink, oil, and acrylic, alongside twenty-four smaller format works on cotton paper that reveal Chihota's introspective approach. A three-part textile installation unfolds in the Chapel of Columbus. Throughout the display, over thirty compositions explore personal themes such as motherhood, loss, displacement, memory, and faith, using the female figure as a central element to articulate tension between vulnerability and resilience. The exhibition's title, 'Kupinduka,' derives from the Shona language, referring to a turn or transition toward another state, often understood as a step into the spiritual realm. Chihota's visual language incorporates translucent lines, botanical motifs, and spiritual symbols that bridge personal and transcendent dimensions. The project engages with concepts from thinkers Fernando Pessoa, concerning metaphysical restlessness, and Dambudzo Marechera, focusing on fracture and survival. Virginia Chihota was born in 1983 in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, and currently lives and works in New York. She graduated in Fine Arts from the National Art Gallery Studios in Harare in 2006. Chihota represented Zimbabwe at the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013 and received the Prix Canson that same year. In 2021, the Paris Opera commissioned her works for a production of Giuseppe Verdi's 'Aida.' Her art is held in collections including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Tate in London, FRAC Picardie in Amiens, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare, and the U.S. Department of State. The exhibition runs until September 6, 2026.