Dinner with the Patriarch presents a sharp and humorous commentary on Zimbabwean cultural hierarchy through the lens of modern satire. By replacing human heads with powerful cattle totems, Flatter Zenda transforms an ordinary dinner scene into a gathering of ancestral symbols, stern, proud, and immovable. These totems, deeply rooted in traditions of lineage, authority, and identity, become exaggerated patriarchal figures whose sheer presence dominates the room.
Seated among them, a sophisticated woman raises her glass with a blend of confidence, elegance, and subtle defiance. Her gesture challenges the rigid expectations imposed by tradition, suggesting a new kind of individual strength rising within old cultural structures. Zenda’s expressive textures, layered brushwork, and dramatic contrasts highlight the tension between ancestral authority and contemporary independence.
With wit and visual symbolism, becomes a critique of patriarchy, cultural performance, and the weight of inherited identity. The painting invites viewers to reflect on how tradition can both shape and restrict modern life, all while celebrating the courage of those who choose their own voice within it
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