Born in Zimbabwe in 1994, lives and works in Harare.
The body and the narrative are at the heart of Epheas Maposa's work: bodies that are half human, half animal, with very marked lines, evolving in surrealist and baroque worlds. Each work delivers a narrative on the thread, mixing in an assumed dreamlike vein, drawn details and colourist motifs. A prolific narrator, he uses the distortion of bodies and spaces to create disillusioned tales that testify to the breakdown of Zimbabwe's social and political structure.
Epheas Maposa is self-taught. Drawing in the street, his first source of inspiration, he joined Village Unhu in 2013 where he was able to benefit from spaces and equipment to work and develop under Misheck Masamvu and alongside other artists in the collective. From 2014 he exhibits at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, as well as at the Gallery Delta. In 2017 and 2018, he participated in the FNB Joburg art fair and Investec Cape Town art fair. Maposa has also participated in several residency programs between Johannesburg and Harare.
EPHEAS MAPOSA
CURRICULUM VITAE
GROUP SHOWS
2021
Collective amnesia, Montague Contemporary, NY – USA
2020
SMALL, 31 PROJECT, Paris – France
Art Paris Art Fair, 31 PROJECT, Paris – France
When you master yours and you can get out, Village Unhu, Harare - Zimbabwe
2019
We are here Pamasonga, 31 PROJECT, Paris – France
Sanity is expensive, but madness is for free, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
We move forward by looking back, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
2018
Wild Geese Exhibition, Harare – Zimbabwe
CTAF Cape Town Art Fair, Cape Town – South Africa
Annual group, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
2017
The Annual Young Artist Exhibitions, Gallery Delta, Harare – Zimbabwe
Group Exhibitions, Gallery Delta, Harare – Zimbabwe
FNB Johannesburg Art Fair, Johannesburg – South Africa
2016
The Annual Young Artist Exhibitions, Gallery Delta, Harare – Zimbabwe
Surface=Drawing, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
Jumping borders, 2 men show, Village Unhu, Harare, Zimbabwe and
Eyethu Gallery, Soweto – South Africa
2015
The Annual Young Artist Exhibition, Gallery Delta, Harare – Zimbabwe
Dama – Left or Right, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
Line to Form, Gallery Delta, Harare – Zimbabwe
Sold Out, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
Migration, Gallery Delta, Harare – Zimbabwe
Orgees, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
100Hundred, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
2014
Young Artist Exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare – Zimbabwe
The Annual Young Artist Exhibition, Gallery Delta, Harare – Zimbabwe
Way Finding, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
Hope Exhibition, Hope Shop, Harare – Zimbabwe
SOLO SHOWS
2021
Smiles of clay, 31 PROJECT, Paris – France
1-54, Paris, 31 PROJECT, Paris – France
2020
Village Unhu, Investec Cape Town art fair – South Africa
AWARDS
2019
Emerging painting pan African art prize – EAAGA, Harare – Zimbabwe
2016
Artists Residency Studio Award, Village Unhu, Harare – Zimbabwe
RESIDENCIES
2016
Pro Helvetia Residency program Harare/Soweto, Johannesburg – South Africa
Village Unhu Residency and exchange program Zim/UK
WITH 31 PROJECT
EXPOSITIONS
2021
Smile of Clay
2020
SMALL, group show
We are here Pamasonga, group show
FOIRES
2021
1-54, Paris, solo show
2020
Art Paris Art Fair, Paris, group show