Tafadzwa Tega was born in Harare and studied art at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. In 2008, Tega moved to South Africa, later joining Good Hope Art Studio. Tega has participated in several group exhibitions and has presented solo exhibitions in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa as well as Lausanne, Switzerland. His works are found in several prominent private collections, including the Leridon Collection, the Spier Arts Trust, Nando’s and the University of Cape Town. Tega is currently based in Cape Town.

Tega’s work speaks to the struggles, dreams and triumphant moments of the people of Zimbabwe. Political and economic stability over several decades has forced many Zimbabweans to emigrate, with the artist and  his relatives themselves being victims of this forced migration. Finding themselves in foreign countries – and, often, subjected to poor working and living conditions – Zimbabweans learn how to make ends meet while, and at the same time, to not forgo ambition. These opposing currents – joy and desire on the one hand; exploitation and alienation on the other – often come to be represented in photographs. In these photographs, people dress their best; they choose glamorous settings for backgrounds; they pose. Tega’s paintings are based on these photographs, conveying citizens’ resilience and determination to live (or, at least, to project) a better life.

COLLECTIONS