Tapfuma Gutsa
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Tapfuma Gutsa | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956 (age 69–70) |
| Citizenship | Zimbabwe |
| Alma mater | City and Guilds of London Art School |
| Occupations | sculptor, installation artist |
| Era | 1985 - 2011 |
| Website | http://www.tapfumagutsa.com/ |
Tapfuma Gutsa (born 1956) is a Zimbabwean stone sculptor.[1][2][3]
A native of Harare, Gutsa studied sculpture with Cornelius Manguma at the Driefontein Mission School,[4] later becoming the first Zimbabwean recipient of a British Council award. His sculptures draw on Shona cultural traditions as well as Western influences, such as Pablo Picasso.[5] The scholarship allowed him to study in London from 1982 until 1985, where he received a diploma in sculpture from City and Guilds of London Art School.[6][7]
Gutsa is unusual among Zimbabwean stone sculptors for the breadth of materials he uses in his work; his sculptures incorporate metal, paper, wood, and other foreign materials.[8][9][10] His winning sculpture at the Nedlaw exhibition, 1987, comprised smouldering grass engulfing a wooden bird.[11] He is the cousin of Dominic Benhura, who studied with him.[citation needed]
In 2007, Gutsa was one of eleven international artists commissioned by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, to produce work for an exhibition titled 'Uncomfortable Truths: The Shadow of Slave Trading on Contemporary Art'.[12][13]
Awards
- 1987 Nedlaw award for sculpture, National Gallery of Zimbabwe[11]
