Mercy Moyo
Zimbabwean-born visual artist and collagist Mercy Moyo says ‘art and creativity have always been part of my life as an observer and as a practicing artist. As a child I would observe my grandmother weaving baskets that were the main source of livelihood for the family. I was fascinated by the techniques involved in pattern and design. I was fascinated by her skill of making each basket unique despite similar materials and colors. Through my observation I realized that the more she made the more creativity emerged from the process’.
It is from this experience that I began to draw as a very young person. Through my drawings I describes the world around me and tell the story of life in contemporary Africa, specifically through women figures. A narrative that is very present in artistic practice where my images are primarily collages, incorporating objects, which complement and reinforce the images depicted. I use oil, acrylics, charcoal, pencil, and I have recently added smoke from candles. These diverse mediums assist to create vibrant images of contemporary women in Zimbabwe today expressing their lived realities, aspirations, and dreams Ultimately I use art as a fundamental element in depicting the beauty of African women whether they come from rural or urban contexts. I do not consider myself a feminist, but I want to portray the real African woman who is in her long skirts, fuller figure, with her head nicely covered comfortable in her self-identity. The African woman in my work does not wear miniskirts; she abides by the norms, traditions, gender roles of a typical African way of life”.
I have participated in group and solo exhibitions in South Africa, Zambia. Zimbabwe and in the United States of America. These experiences have influenced my work significantly through encounters with the lived realities of different societies such as the young men working in the mines of South Africa was a dark experience. They live their young lives underground and surface only to socialize and sleep at night. This influenced my experimentation with male figures whom I capture the lives of these miners’ using charcoals and working in hues of black and brown. Unlike most of my works which show people in community e.g., dialogue and deep conversation, these young men are solitary lone figures living outside of the traditional African community or family reflecting on the loneliness and individualism associated with their daily lives' - Mercy Moyo
Exhibitions
2021 United Nation, symbol of life, freedom and Happiness, Aiud, Romania
2020 Jacaranda art fair, Harare, Zimbabwe
2020 Gallery under Kastanjen, Copenhagen, Denmark
2019 The First "Belt and Road" Afro -Sino art Exchange (II), National council of Zimbabwe
2019 Rembrandt @350 exhibition, Netherlands Embassy, National art Gallery of Zimbabwe
2019 Centenary collage art exhibition, New Jersey, U.S.A
2019 Strings of confusion, solo, Corridor gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe
2018 The First "Belt and Road" Afro -Sino art Exchange (I) Beijing, China
2018 Wildlife art auction, Save our Nzou ,Tsoko gallery in conjunction with British embassy
2018 Wild geese art festival, Harare, Zimbabwe
2018 Women art exhibition, (women history month), National art gallery of Zimbabwe
2017 Kuboneshango, (woman’s history month), Lusaka Zambia
2016 Nantucket Arts Association (aan) ,Nantucket, USA
2016 One passport, Asni gallery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2015 On their walls, Trenton city museum, New Jersey U.S.A
2014 Life and environment exhibition, Insaka, Livingstone, Zambia
2014 Spanish Embassy Art Auction, National art gallery of Zimbabwe,
2013 ALL4 Children, Two man show, Copenhagen Cultural art center, Demark
2013 Vermont studio center, Vermont, U.S.A
2013 Mibvunzo isina mhinduro (questions without answers), National art gallery of Zimbabwe
2010 Hibernation exhibition, Harare international festival of the arts (HIFA
2009 Life, three man show, Hanry Tayali centre, Lusaka, Zambia
2008 Modern Art of Zimbabwe, Czech Republic
2008 Group exhibition at the arts festival Kuopio Finland
2008 Friends of the Gallery auction European commission residency
2008 Mona Lisa gallery, Solo show, New Jersey U.S.A
2008 Muupenyu hwangu (in my life) Two man show, Jennet Unite, Cape Town, South Africa
2005 Gwanza photography, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
2005 UMOJA, Malangatana centre, Mozambique
Auctions
UNICEF Charity Auction, Czechoslovakia Republic, 2020
Wildlife art, Save our Nzou, Tsoko gallery in conjunction with British Ambassy, 2018
Spanish Embassy, National Art Gallery, Zimbabwe 2014
Donated a painting to the Greatmore Studios, South Africa, 2013
Friends of the Gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe, 2008
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