Raphael Chikukwa, the Executive Director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare, has been elected to the CIMAM (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art) board for the 2026-2028 period. A milestone moment for not only Zimbabwe but the African continent, as it adds a voice for the global south in one the most influential global organisations for museums.
He joins a new board led by Amanda de la Garza Mata, Artistic Deputy Director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) in Madrid, who has been elected President of CIMAM at the just ended conference in Turin.
Chikukwa has been at the forefront of championing Zimbabwean art for over 2 decades. He led the charge for Zimbabwe’s debut participation at the Venice Biennale (the World Cup of visual arts) in 2011, and his continued involvement will see the country showcasing its eighth pavilion at the event next year.
CIMAM – International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art – is an Affiliated Organization of the International Council of Museums. Founded in 1962, CIMAM’s vision is a world where the contribution of museums, collections, and archives of modern and contemporary art to the cultural, social, and economic well-being of society is recognized and respected.
In 2026 Zimbabwe will host the CIMAM conference, the event’s debut edition on African soil.
