“They Still Owe Him a Boat”: Jono Terry Opens Solo Exhibition at National Gallery of Zimbabwe

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare has opened “They Still Owe Him a Boat”, a solo exhibition by contemporary artist Jono Terry. The exhibition invites visitors into a reflective and poetic exploration of Zimbabwe’s history, focusing on the building of the Kariba Dam and its lasting impact on the Zambezi River and surrounding communities.

Terry’s latest body of work blends remembrance with reckoning, using visual storytelling to resurrect a landscape that existed as myth before being transformed by machinery. The exhibition highlights the submerged world of the Zambezi, giving voice to the river and the cultures that once thrived along its banks. Through this lens, visitors encounter the stories of Nyami Nyami, Kappongashiri, Guccheche, and the Basitwizi people, whose lives and traditions were forever shaped by the river’s pulse.

The exhibition combines historical reflection with artistic innovation, capturing the tension between memory, displacement, and resilience. By engaging with myths and personal narratives, Terry transforms the submerged landscape into a platform for cultural dialogue and contemplation. His work examines both the ecological and social consequences of large-scale development while celebrating the endurance of communities whose identities remain tied to the river.

“They Still Owe Him a Boat” encourages audiences to reconsider the human and environmental costs of industrial progress, while offering a space for storytelling, reflection, and reconnection with Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage. The exhibition is now open to the public, providing an immersive experience that bridges history, myth, and contemporary artistic practice.