Lot 52: Lovemore Kambudzi (Zimbabwean, born 1978) 'Magaba Working Place'

Lovemore Kambudzi (Zimbabwean, born 1978)
'Magaba Working Place'
signed 'L KAMBUDZI' (lower right); inscribed with artist name, title, medium and dated '2002' (verso)
oil on canvas
140 x 210cm (55 1/8 x 82 11/16in).
Footnotes

Lovemore Kambudzi was born in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1978. As a child he demonstrated natural artistic ability, encouraging his family to send him to the Visual Arts Studio at the National Gallery in Mbara where he trained for three years.

Kambudzi draws inspiration from his local environment. His canvases commonly depict everyday occurrences in Harare, earning him the epithet, 'The Eye of the People'. Commenting on his work, the artist claims: "Handingavanze chokwadi" ("I can't hide the truth"). Kambudzi's paintings are often overtly critical, exposing the hardships suffered by Zimbabwe's citizens. Food and fuel shortages, political corruption and police intimidation are shown to be an integral part of life; and yet, the figures who populate his paintings maintain their good humour and optimism.

Kambudzi's paintings are characterised by tachism, the application of contrasting daubs of colour. Although frequently compared to Seurat's pointillism, this technique was developed before Kambudzi was aware of the French artist. Kambuzi was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship, travelling to New Zealand in 2003. Since then, he has exhibited widely throughout Europe and the United States, as well as in his native Zimbabwe.