Tonderai Marezva was born in 1974 in Chitungwiza. He started sculpting at the age of 12, initially assisting established sculptors and learning by observation. Two of his most influential mentors were Nesbert Mukomberanwa and Chituwa Jemali, both respected first generation sculptors who, Tonderai explains, showed him how to “feel” the stone.

Toderai says that he likes to incorporate observations of both ancient African traditions and the modern life in Zimbabwe in his work. One art critic describes him thus: “The very starkness of the work, its sheer modernity, its bias towards the direction of stone sculpture, and indeed object sculpture, is taking in other countries gives his work its own feature, its own character.”

Tonderai, who prefers to work in one of the hardest stones, Springstone, likes to explore texture, shape and negative space. His sculptures resemble silhouettes of heads and bodies, always in two sides that either match or differ slightly to convey a message. The shapes are minimal and the lines flow is such a way that his sculptures are truly three dimensional.

Tonderai worked as a Resident Sculptor at Chapungu Sculpture Park, from 1995 – 1998 and had the opportunity to travel with a touring exhibition and give sculpting workshops in Europe.

Tonderai’s sculptures have been bought by galleries and collectors in the Netherlands, South Africa, Germany, Belgium, the UK, the US and Canada.

Tonderai has been represented in Canada since 2007.