Zacharaha Magasa
Biography
Born 1988 Harare, Zimbabwe
Lives and works in Harare, Zimbabwe
My work is driven by lines of direct and indirect dialogues of everyday life. I am interested in notions of socio-politics, environmental decay, territorial or land and cultural resistance. My stories normally emanate from my immediate surroundings, I pick dialogues from politically motivated gatherings, distractive systems of consumerism and environmental negligence practices. I believe language and communication is expressed in different ways depending on the intent of the message. Climate change is a message so is police brutality and all the conversations of life. Though I use different types of non-conventional materials rubber is the most prevalent because of its potency and association with slavery and oppression both in Africa and around the globe. In my method of work I use lines to draw figurative or symbolic forms, to represent movement but also drift in and out of figuration and are references to both contemporary political events as well as childhood memories. For me different materials and their capacity for manipulation are an opportunity to explore and develop ideas and carry meaning, like telephone lines, which move information from one place to the other or spheres which can be morph into figures, while recalling footballs, we wove out of plastic as children. Concurrently using rubber strips, which can be woven to mean speaks to Zimbabwean traditions and ideals of unity among people and unison with nature.
Exhibitions
2023: FNB Art Joburg, First Floor Gallery Harare, Johannesburg, South Africa
2023: Messe Messe (Group Exhibition),First Floor Gallery Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
2023: RMB Latitudes Art Fair, First Floor Gallery Harare, Johannesburg, South Africa
2022: Afamba Apota, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2021: Rain or Shine solo project - FNB Art Joburg Open City, First Floor Gallery Harare, P72 Johannesburg, South Africa
2021: ICTAF - MIART online, First Floor Gallery Harare, Zimbabwe
2020: Level | Mosi-oa-tunya, First Floor Gallery Vic Falls, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
2020: Re: Zacharaha Magasa/Zanele Mutema, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2015: Thupelo workshop, Cape Town, South Africa
2012: Harare beyond words, Gallery H, Bangkok ,Thailand
2012: Jo’burg Fringe art fair First Floor Gallery Harare, Johannesburg, South Africa
2012: Berliner Liste art fair, First Floor Gallery Harare, Berlin, Germany
2011: Austral-Afric, First Floor Gallery Harare
2011: Jeunes Zimbabweans, Le Pavé d’Orsay, Paris, France
Residencies
2024: Narva Art Residency, Tallinn, Estonia
Born 1988 Harare, Zimbabwe
Lives and works in Harare, Zimbabwe
My work is driven by lines of direct and indirect dialogues of everyday life. I am interested in notions of socio-politics, environmental decay, territorial or land and cultural resistance. My stories normally emanate from my immediate surroundings, I pick dialogues from politically motivated gatherings, distractive systems of consumerism and environmental negligence practices. I believe language and communication is expressed in different ways depending on the intent of the message. Climate change is a message so is police brutality and all the conversations of life. Though I use different types of non-conventional materials rubber is the most prevalent because of its potency and association with slavery and oppression both in Africa and around the globe. In my method of work I use lines to draw figurative or symbolic forms, to represent movement but also drift in and out of figuration and are references to both contemporary political events as well as childhood memories. For me different materials and their capacity for manipulation are an opportunity to explore and develop ideas and carry meaning, like telephone lines, which move information from one place to the other or spheres which can be morph into figures, while recalling footballs, we wove out of plastic as children. Concurrently using rubber strips, which can be woven to mean speaks to Zimbabwean traditions and ideals of unity among people and unison with nature.
Exhibitions
2023: FNB Art Joburg, First Floor Gallery Harare, Johannesburg, South Africa
2023: Messe Messe (Group Exhibition),First Floor Gallery Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
2023: RMB Latitudes Art Fair, First Floor Gallery Harare, Johannesburg, South Africa
2022: Afamba Apota, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2021: Rain or Shine solo project - FNB Art Joburg Open City, First Floor Gallery Harare, P72 Johannesburg, South Africa
2021: ICTAF - MIART online, First Floor Gallery Harare, Zimbabwe
2020: Level | Mosi-oa-tunya, First Floor Gallery Vic Falls, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
2020: Re: Zacharaha Magasa/Zanele Mutema, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2015: Thupelo workshop, Cape Town, South Africa
2012: Harare beyond words, Gallery H, Bangkok ,Thailand
2012: Jo’burg Fringe art fair First Floor Gallery Harare, Johannesburg, South Africa
2012: Berliner Liste art fair, First Floor Gallery Harare, Berlin, Germany
2011: Austral-Afric, First Floor Gallery Harare
2011: Jeunes Zimbabweans, Le Pavé d’Orsay, Paris, France
Residencies
2024: Narva Art Residency, Tallinn, Estonia