“There is always a glamor in the underdog, for the trenches of poverty are deep. The shame, misery of it all pushes the underdog to be great by any means necessary even if it meant death or dishonor. But sometimes the underdog is caught in a place of Soft and a hard rock, bliss and decay, freedom and corruption, Progress and being Stagnant, Contemporary and culture. This body of work interrogates the Ambiguity that lies between reality and fantasy, especially in an African context. How that we as Africans aspire to engage and explore the spoils of this world through Migration but then again, we are reminded of the conflict we face between constant modernity and Cultural Heritage. What do we say about the perils we face when straying away from our source of origin?”
Ronald Muchatuta is a Zimbabwean-born contemporary artist currently residing in Cape Town. He specializes in drawing, painting and mosaics. He began his career at the age of 16 as a pottery decorator at Ros Byrne Pottery in Harare, Zimbabwe in 2001. Muchatuta was mentored at Gallery Delta in Harare and finished his fine art exams through the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in 2003. He then relocated to South Africa in 2007 to pursue his career as an artist. He is recognized as a qualified Master Mosaic Artist from Spier Arts Academy in Cape Town, where he completed his studies in 2012.
He primarily works through the mediums of drawing, painting and creating mosaics. The aesthetic appeal of his works is a result of the relationship he has fostered between his concepts and the media he uses. This is projected through the cross-pollination of his media. His hybrid art is a dialogue on matters such as African migration and the turmoil and triumphs that stand, after significant social and political events occur in Africa. His works also hold layers of his personal experiences, which further speak to the discourse of humanity. He articulates his social commentary on these matters with each and every medium that he creates from. His current body of work is inspired by the theme of African migration, which transpires into a global dialogue.
Muchatuta’s works and special commissions are displayed worldwide and in prestigious locations within South Africa. He has also participated in commissioned mosaic artworks for clients in England, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, and Cape Town to mention a few. He has exhibited at the ‘African Art Fair 2015’ Paris, France and the ‘UN–Milan Expo 2015’, representing Africa in Milan. He has exhibited at Gallery University Stellenbosch (GUS) and Michaelis Galleries, University of Cape Town, and a vast number of commercial galleries in Johannesburg and Cape Town. In 2017 he was interviewed and acknowledged for his artistic efforts on BBC Worldwide news.
Ronald lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa.