A SHOW to honour Ray “Chikapa” Phiri is on view at the Mbombela Arts Gallery.
The exhibition, called Dance For Me, aims to honour the spirit and legacy of the legendary Mzansi jazz musician who died following a battle with lung cancer in 2017.
Ray’s widow Rabelani Phiri (29) told Daily Sun the Ray Phiri Arts Institute decided to launch the exhibition at his homeland of Mpumalanga before exploring other spaces.
Phiri’s musical voice is heard in the background of the gallery.
A combination of his public and personal items hang on the gallery’s walls with his clothing and musical equipment.
Rabelani said a lot of people speak about her late husband as an institution and historian. She said there was evidence of that because some of the photographs he kept are truly from a long time ago.
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“The idea with the music was to invite his spirit to come into the space. Everything he represented is here,” said Rabelani.
She said the visitor is not just engaging through sound or sight. “You are engaging with him on multiple levels,” she said.
“He was a loving, humble person. His space and presence were beautiful to experience. That’s one of the safe spaces I am able to go back to remember and feel good.”
Rabelani said the exhibition was laying the foundation for many other projects intended to honour his memory. She said they’ve had a positive response from the community and schools since the launch of the exhibition earlier this month. The exhibition remains open until next Friday.
