Zimbabwian Carved Stone Sculpture of a Singer by Tutani Mgabazi (b. 1975)

Item Details

Tutani Mgabazi (Zimbabwe, b. 1975)
Untitled (singer), late 20th century
Carved stone
Signed along base edge

Tutani Mgabazi was born in 1975 in Guruve, northern Zimbabwe. He is the second in a family of eight. At primary school, his favourite lessons were art and craft. In the school holidays, he would visit his uncle Francis Mugavazi, a well-known sculptor, where he learned to sculpt. At twelve, Tutani had his first customers; by thirteen, Tutani’s father realised his son’s talent and bought him his first tools. Later, he introduced Tutani to Tom Blomefield, the founder of the Tengenenge Sculpture Community.

While still at secondary school, Tutani’s pieces had been displayed in the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. So when he left school in 1992, he went straight to being a sculptor. His joint exhibition with his uncle Luke Mugavazi in 1993 marked the start of his career as a professional sculptor.

Selected Group Exhibitions include:

Represented Zimbabwe at the International Sculpture Symposium, Obernkirchen, Germany (2000, 2006 & 2015)
Joint exhibition with his wife, Town Hall, Kingston, Ontario, sponsored by Earth to Spirit Art Gallery (2009)
Two-man exhibition with Luke Mugavazi, Ramambo Lodge Gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe (1993)
- biography from Guruve

Condition

- light edge chips on base; minimal other wear.

Dimensions

Item #

ITMGF68657