THE FIGHTING FORCES OF THE TOWER
BY TARIRO WASHE
TARIRO WASHE on Lens Magazine issue 33
Washe acquired a Higher Certificate in Photography at Vega and as National Diploma in Professional Photography at City Varsity, Cape Town, South Africa. In 2014 Washe exhibited in a group exhibition titled ChanceSubjects/ DelibrateObjects at 6 Spin Street Gallery in Cape Town. In 2017, she held her first duo exhibition titled Fighting Forces of the Tower at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe with Steven Chikosi under their collaboration MESO MAVIRI.
THE FIGHTING FORCES OF THE TOWER
Fire Instruments As a nation, Zimbabwe requires 25 fire trucks but we currently have 19, of which, only 13 are functional nationwide. A few well-wishers over the years have donated fire trucks to the City of Harare, an endeavor started and lead by the generous Peter Lobel. Copyrighted To TARIRO WASHE © All rights reserved
These are selected images from an existing body of work called The Fighting Forces of the Tower. This is a duo exhibition, that showcases the brave fighters who are fire guardians of the city of Harare. A common feature in all Harare Fire Stations is the Drill Tower in which they spend much time training and perfecting the art of Fire Fighting.
Women Fighting Fire
Lead Fire Fighter Chirara is one of the very first of two female firefighters in Zimbabwe.
Copyrighted To TARIRO WASHE © All rights reserved
The work explores the question of the need for a greater understanding and solidarity for the firefighter. The Fighting Forces of The Tower not only exhibits the courageous men and women at the Harare Fire Department, it also aims to bring awareness of the challenges the fighters faces and the impact these challenges have on the community at large.
Firefighters live by the definition that bravery is not the absence of fear, but it is knowing what to do in the presence of fear.
