Basket Case was the name of an exhibition that recently took place at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare. Featuring the basket artistry of various local crafters, Basket Case was curated by Heath Nash.
The non-profit organization The New Basket Workshop brought all the crafters together. The workshop assists basket producers in Southern Africa with design and production guidelines.
Exhibiting craft groups included Binga Craft Centre, Bulawayo Home Industries, Lupane Women’s Centre and the Zienzele Foundation. Nash’s designs were among those displayed, while his lighting designs result from a collaboration with local crafters.
Basket Case aimed to demonstrate how craft and design can make a difference to the livelihoods of the crafters, by increasing their chances of selling their creative produce. Despite the prominence of craft in Zimbabwe, Basket Case was the first craft show at the National Gallery in more than 30 years.
