The National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe honours architect John Anthony Knight through the establishment of its first cinema room.

Cinema is a 20th Century art. It develops in the midst of the most experimental sensibility. It flourishes in the fluctuating mode of modern technologies. I love it for its diversity. Film art is challenging by this very coincidence. Its ability to express a range of our human emotion, to explore, to record, to challenge out intellect, to make us laugh, to satirise. Cinema has experienced the most rapid and novel growth of any art form, it has also commanded the greatest interest.

The properties of this medium coincide with those of photography, yet film moves beyond the stilled image through its further technical properties, today this includes sound. Editing is an integral property as it establishes a meaningful set of correspondences between images, continuity between shots. We move frame by frame toward a new understanding.

John Anthony Knight was born on 14 April 1962. He is married to Cecile Knight and has one son. Knight was educated at the University of Cape Town and graduated with a Bachelor of Architectural Studies. He pursued studies at Kingston Polytechnic in the U.K for a Diploma in Architecture and received a Fitzroy Robinson Scholarship to complete R.I.B.A Part II. He completed with a Commendation in Design Portfolio. From January 1990-November 1990 he did his R.I.B.A Part III. He successfully completed Professional Practice Exams and registered as an Architect with the Architects Registration Council of the United Kingdom and became a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. In 1992 he took his Zimbabwean Professional Practice Exams and registered as an Architect with the Architects Council of Zimbabwe and became a member of the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe.

Since March 1994 he was the sole partner of STUDIO 10, JOHN KNIGHT, CHARTERED ARCHITECT, his own practice commencing with small commissions for mainly domestic buildings. Projects have steadily grown in scale and complexity to include larger residential, public, institutional, religious, recreational and commercial architecture.

His projects include his own residence in Burnside; Gerling residence; additions to Nesbitt Castle; Girls College sports spectators thatched canopy; Cyrene Mission School – new lodges and ablutions for Sixth Form pupils: Ascot Shopping Centre new shops ands service station; Nkulumane Shopping Complex – assisted Pearce Partnership; Moore Lodges-new guest lodges; Cyrene Chapel – alterations to Historical Monument for restoration of murals; Legal Resources Foundation – renovations of Amalungelo House; St James School Hall – new hall and sports centre; St James College Complex for tertiary and Adult Education; Khayelihle Children’s Village, including schools and residence for orphaned children; Victoria Falls Aquarium new building to incorporate large display tanks education and conversation centre, restaurant, research facility and hatchery.

Under Gordon Norman Chartered Architect Chartered Architect in October 1991 to February 1994, projects included the National Gallery renovations and additions to listed building, and received an award of Merit from the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe Awards Presentation 1991. The restaurant at Nesbitt Castle, Bulawayo, and Entumbane Shopping Centre, MIPF.

He has wide experience in the United Kingdom with the Fitzroy Robinson Partnership from 1985 to August 1991. Projects include News International Headquarters, Wapping, to include 24 storey office Tower, Media Centre, Retail, Conference Centre, Restaurant and Viewing Gallery; National Westminster Bank – offices in Conservation Area, London; British Soviet Trade Centre, Moscow, including office tower, hotel, Tower and Metro Station; Office and Hotel – Hyde Park Corner, Renovation of St George’s Hospital of a listed building in a conservation area; Redevelopment of Spitalfields Market, London; Shopping mall and offices, Reading; New offices, Reading; and fit-out for Hambros Bank, City of London.

Knight has lectured in History and Theory of Architecture to Architectural Technology students at polytechnic and has also tutored at the National University of Science and Technology. The National Gallery of Zimbabwe is very proud of its long standing association with John Anthony Knight and regard his presence and contribution to the institute as integral as its own growth.