Gresham works against the sweeping identity that has been defined by the voice of the state. His images oscillate between figuration, abstraction and hallucination, drawing from the restless energy of the ghetto. Mbare is Harare’s and perhaps Zimbabwe’s most vibrant and notorious ghetto. Allegedly ridden with hooliganism, violence and prostitution, Mbare is said to parallel the conditions of Harare for Zimbabweans during the colonial segregation era (in respect of its hardship and quality of living space). To this day Mbare retains the character of a port city with its trade, shady deals and otherwise bustle of unremitting human traffic amid urban decay. Living on the verge between survival and demise has been somewhat of a call to poetry, at times proving brutal and at others sentimental or cynically satirical. In his works, symbolic collapsed figures, floors and chairs are everywhere. With irony, he talks about social issues such as class inequality and consumer culture in the urban environment without concealment.

 

 

 

 

 

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Grey Spaces (Playtime)

Oil and spray paint on canvas  |  199 x 169.5cm  |  2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting to Get Up!

Oil on canvas  |  200 x 170 cm  |   2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faith in Humanity Part 2

Oil on canvas  |  150 x 110.5 cm  |  2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the Feast，Oil on canvas｜210x350cm｜2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Covid Blues Pt 2  |  Oil on paper  |  100 x 70 cm  |  2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Untitled (Screaming Optism) Part 5   

Oil on paper  |  100 x 70 cm  |  2018