Chiurai Kudzanai Mixed Media Artist Portfolio

Chiurai Kudzanai (1981) -- Mixed Media

Artist Profile

Chiurai Kudzanai is a Mixed Media Artist

Chiurai Kudzanai

Born in 1981 in Zimbabwe, Kudzanai Chiurai is considered to be one of the fastest rising talents in contemporary African art among others. He is the first black student to study fine art at the University of Pretoria in South Africa where he was named "Most Promising Art Student" by the university's esteemed faculty. Kudzanai has shown his work in and outside Africa but has never shown his work in his home country Zimbabwe.

Chiurai's large mixed media works now tackle some of the most pertinent issues facing southern africa such as xenophobia, displacement and black empowerment.His paintings confront viewers with the psychological and physical experience of inner-city Johannesburg, the continent's most cosmopolitan melting pot where thousands of exiles, refugees and asylum-seekers battle for survival alongside the never-ending swell of newly urbanized South Africans.

The actuality of these environs is reinforced by Chiurai's use of photographic transfer. Boldly stenciled figures and anonymous text provide running commentary, leading viewers on a journey through his intricately painted turn-of-the century buildings, bustling streets and congested transit systems.

Exhibitions

2008 :yellow lines, Obert contemporary, Johannesburg

2008: Melbourne stencil festival, Melbourne, Australia

2008: Africa now, round tower, Copenhagen; Northern Norway
        art centre, Lofoten, Norway; and Tampere art museum,
        Finland

2007: graceland, Obert contemporary, Johannesburg

2006: dak'art, Dakar, Senegal

2006: New painting, Kwazulu-natal society of arts, Durban (with
          Conrad Botes, Johannes Phokela and Mustafa Maluka)

2005 :Ypropaganda, Obert contemporary, Johannesburg

2005: Melrose art, Obert contemporary (with Henry Symonds,
          Peter Eastman, Matthew Hindley, Mark Erasmus and
          Maja Maljevic)

2005: Reconciliation, university of Pretoria (with Minnette Vari,
         Berni Searle, Diane victor, Johan Cnradie and Leora Faber)

2004: Correction: The Revolution Will Be Televised, Obert
          contemporary, Johannesburg

2003: The revolution will not be televised, Brixton art gallery,
         London

Award

2005: Top 100 dazzlers and doers in South Africa, Mail &
Guardian, Gouth Africa

2003: Most promising art student, University of Pretoria,
South Africa

2000: merit award, the national art gallery, Zimbabwe

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