| Makiwa Mutomba showed an excellent ability
to draw at an early age. However, growing up in a low to middle class
family, it was not until his third year at university in 1999 where he
was studying Electronic Engineering that he decided to quit studies and
paint pictures for a living. It was a rocky path for Makiwa trying to
live on his paintings. Moving from Bulawayo to Harare, which is the commercial
capital of the country, and then on to the resort town of Victoria falls,
where he sold miniature paintings at the roadside to tourists ( hanging
paintings from tree branches) . It was at this time that Makiwa developed
a love for the knife as a painting tool. Makiwa is presently living in
Pretoria, where he lives with his wife and two daughters, and paints from
his studio home. He has had successful solo and group shows in South Africa
Germany and London and France, and has done a number of commissions for
private collectors. His oil paintings are painted exclusively with a knife,
no brushes.
Makiwa's work is inspired by nature. He takes photographs which he later
uses as reference in his studio for the large canvases. He paints in a
dimly lit studio. Using a large 1 square metre palette and paint scrapers
to imitate palette knives, he mixes his paints and applies it thickly
onto the canvas, leaving fresh strokes of paint that will eventually dry
with minimal interference.
EXHIBITIONS
2000
2000 Young Artists Exhibition, Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
2001
Works on Paper, Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe (sold out 20 Miniature
paintings which were part of this group show).
Solo Exhibition – Miniature Oils, The Black Mamba Gallery, Vaalwater,
South Africa
2002
2002 Solo Exhibition – Miniature Oils, The African Easel Art Gallery,
Kasanc, Botswana
2005
2005 Group Exhibition – Black Like Us, The Watercolour Society of
South Africa, Johannesburg
2006
From 2006 Exhibitions and sales in various galleries in South Africa,
Zimbabwe and Botswana which include,
Cherie De Villiers, Johannesburg
Chris Tugwell Gallery, Pretoria
Etchings, etc, Durban
The Art Room, Durban
The Cape Gallery, Cape Town
Johan Smith Art Gallery, Clarens
2007
Group Exhibition- Wildlands Art for Conservation, The Lindsay Gallery,
Durban.
Solo Exhibition- A Celebration of Life, Association of Visual Artists,
Cape Town
Solo Exhibition- Heads, Kwazulu Natal Society of the Arts, Durban
Solo Exhibition- Paintings By Makiwa Mutomba? ?. Artspaceberlin , Berlin,
Germany
Group Exhibition- Together We Are One. Etchings. Durban
2008
Featured Artist- Norscot Manor Gallery, Johannesburg
Group Exhibition, Wildlands Art for Conservation, Durban
2009
Group Exhibition, ArtSPACE BERLIN, Germany
Collective Exhibition, Camden Art Gallery, London
Collective Exhibition, Hendaye, France
SOCIETE NATIONATE DES BEAUX ARTS, LOUVRE PARIS (SNBA)
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Artist: MAKIWA MUTOMBA
Title: Woman
Size: 20 x 20 cm
Media: Oil
Price: R 2 450 unframed
DONATIONS AND COMMISIONS
2006
Donated a painting at the request of The South
African High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr Lindiwe Mabuza for auction
in London to raise funds towards the Phelophepa Medical Train.
2007
Donated a painting titled Grandmother to Cat
Pals Art Auction (street) cats of Pretoria and Centurion. Part of the proceeds
also went to the Pretoria Arts Association
AWARDS
2009
Painting selected for "The Perfect Canvas
" competition run by Woolworths, and was featured on Woolworths carrier
bags.
Prix de Grande-Etapes Françaises. Awarded
at the SOCIETE NATIONATE DES BEAUX ARTS at the LOUVRE PARIS
PUBLICATIONS
1: Reflections on Mutomba’s Portraits - by
Celia Winter-Irving, The Zimbabwe Mirror June 2000, Zimbabwe.
2: The Makiwa Mutomba Exhibition - by Marj Bresler, Ballito Life, With Art
in Mind. 20 - 27 September 2006.
3: It’s All About Art - by Liz Clark. The Crest November 2006.
4: KZN’s Best - by Marriane Meijer, The Mercury, ArtNotes.
9 February 2007.
5: Gallery’s Triple Treat - by Marriane Meijer.
The Mercury 30 August 2007 |
