Mavis Tauzeni was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1985. In 2010 she received a Diploma Zipac, Zimbabwe Institute of Photographers, and in 2009 a Visual Art School Certificate from the National Gallery of Zimbabwe .
Artist's statement
Growing in a sense of responsibility to the society I live in, trying to teach what I believe to be true in a climate alive with discussion about revolution, change, and freedom of women and empowerment. An introduction into the world that is from a female and societal perspective from the inside out. A narrative that forces one to see the stark realities of history, traditions, religion, society and reality where for us normality is defined by the limits of what we know, what we are familiar with although for some odd reason I feel distant from these images. Trying to shape imagination and sense of belonging. Their humanity is profound and not defined by what we see physically, woman.
My works might consist of female body or symbolism of the female with volumes of emotions to express revealing a world where a female lives on a daily basis where a stitch, mark, print, splash, or pour, streak describe and bring forth the world. As a girl child I was taught how to knit and sew, though there was a love hate relationship with the process. Some of my inspiration and skill is being drawn from there. The stitch is about repairing, creating, it is about the continuity of creativity and culture, psychologically and spiritually. The female is apparently a series of prints and collages painted, stuck and sawn into the canvas. I try to make each print individually different from the rest. In this I am trying to express a society obsessed with perfection, examine the way we perceive ourselves through their physical form, explore the relationship woman has with her body in the present day and challenges it presents to her ever- transforming identity. It seems like a game or contest of equal entities and identities. My work focus is related to a metamorphosis to transform structure and form to thought and the physical and mental emotions to reality, which one tends to evade. Society cannot be shaped without the side of women. Women have been missing and sidelined for too long. I try to recognize women’s perceptions on identity their insight on relationships and dreams I want to understand my relationship to others. I want to be part of the world from which I had hidden myself for so long and only way I know how to is by painting and printing.
Exhibitions
2022
Tomorrows/Today (solo) – Investec Cape Town Art Fair, First Floor Gallery Harare
2021
Rebirth – Gallery Brulhart, Geneva, Switzerland
Art Joburg online – First Floor Gallery Harare
2020
Level | – Mosi-oa-tunya, First Floor Gallery Vic Falls, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
2019
AKAA Paris – First Floor Gallery Harare, Paris, France
On A Clear Day – First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2018
Next Level – First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
To My Unborn Child (solo) – First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2017
Another Antipodes – PS Art Space, Fremantle, Australia
Hello Harare: Collaging the City – First Floor Gallery Harare
2016
I am because you are – First Floor Gallery Harare
Harare: Mwandiambira + Tauzeni + Teede – Hazard, Johannesburg, South Africa
Cape Town Art Fair – First Floor Gallery Harare
2015
Eve’s diaries (solo) – at First Floor Gallery Harare
Turbine Art Fair – Johannesburg, South Africa
HIFA group show at First Floor Gallery Harare
Annual Exhibition – National Gallery of Zimbabwe
2014
Annual Exhibition – National Gallery of Zimbabwe
Women speak out – Fondation Blachère Arts Centre, Vaucluse, France
2013
1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair – First Floor Gallery Harare, London, UK
Berliner Liste Art Fair – First Floor Gallery Harare, Berlin, Germany
No Limits – Harare International Festival of the Arts – Artists’ Choice Peoples’ Choice Competition (Winner, Works on Paper Prize)
I am, I was, I could be – Mavis Tauzeni/Willemijn de Groot – First Floor Gallery Harare, Zimbabwe
Chiso – Face Group Exhibition – First Floor Gallery Harare, Zimbabwe
Young Artist Exhibition – Gallery Delta, Zimbabwe
2012
Olympic artists Competition – Harare, Zimbabwe.
Harare Collaborative exhibition – First Floor Gallery Harare.
Family, Tradition and Religion – Gallery Delta, Zimbabwe
Vasikana Vedu, Harare Festival of the Arts – First Floor Gallery Harare
2011
Still life exhibition – Delta Gallery, Zimbabwe.
2010
Young Artist Exhibition – Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
2009
Peace through Unity in Diversity (European Commission exhibition) – Gallery Delta
Walls, Berlin Wall anniversary exhibition – Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
2008
Cottco Exhibition – National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare
Enriching Woman – Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
2007
Young Painters – Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
Young Artist Exhibition – Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
Worshop/Residency
2014: Wemah Art Project (Bonendalè, Cameroon)
Awards
2012: Award of attendance, Zimbabwe Olympic Committee
2010: Award of merit, Peace exhibition, Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
2010: Special Mention Prize, Facet Zimbabwe Now exhibition, Delta Gallery, Zimbabwe.
2009: 2nd prize for mixed media, Walls exhibition Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
2009: Special Mentions, Peace through Unity Exhibition Gallery Delta, Harare
2008: Award of Merit, Cottco Exhibition and prize, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare
2008: Special prize, Enriching Woman, Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe
