New paintings by the Zimbabwean artist explore prayer, care and spiritual illumination in Cape Town.
Portia Zvavahera, Gamuchirai minamato, 2026. Courtesy of Stevenson and David Zwirner.
Norval Foundation presents ‘Tanda rima’, an exhibition of works by leading contemporary Zimbabwean artist Portia Zvavahera. Opening in February 2026 in Cape Town, the exhibition forms part of the broader programming surrounding Investec Cape Town Art Fair.
Based in Harare, Zvavahera is internationally recognised for deeply expressive paintings that move between physical and spiritual registers. Her work draws on dreams, memories and lived experience, resulting in layered compositions marked by rhythmic patterning, saturated colour and symbolic intensity. Over the past decade, her practice has been presented in institutional contexts across the United States and Europe, situating her within an expanding global discourse on contemporary African painting.
Language, darkness and spiritual transition
The title ‘Tanda rima’ translates loosely from Shona as “Chase away the darkness”, extending themes introduced in the artist’s 2023 Cape Town exhibition ‘Pane rima rakakomba’ (“There’s too much darkness”). Rooted in the language in which Zvavahera lives and thinks, the exhibition foregrounds an intimate narrative shaped by motherhood, care, spirituality and transition.
Three new works anchor the presentation, including Gamuchirai minamato (“Receive my prayer”), which depicts figures gathered in communal prayer beneath a tree, and Nzimbo tsvene (“A holy place”), where angelic figures guide souls toward sanctuary. These paintings were inspired by prayers for the artist’s grandmother and reflect a meditation on protection, peaceful passage and spiritual illumination. A recurring luminous tree motif reinforces themes of refuge, transcendence and continuity.
Curatorial context and institutional framing
‘Tanda rima’ is curated by Tayla Hollamby. Presented within Norval Foundation’s programme dedicated to modern and contemporary art from Africa and its diasporas, the exhibition situates Zvavahera’s work within ongoing conversations around spirituality, personal narrative and the role of painting in articulating lived experience.
Founded in 2018, Norval Foundation has positioned itself as a site for both historical stewardship and contemporary engagement. The presentation of ‘Tanda rima’ continues this trajectory, placing Zvavahera’s practice within a broader institutional commitment to African art histories and their evolving global reception.
‘Portia Zvavahera: Tanda rima’ opens at Norval Foundation, Cape Town, on 17 February 2026 and runs until 6 September 2026. For more information, please visit the Norval Foundation.
