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RUFARO NGOMA

BIOGRAPHY:

 

Rufaro Ngoma was born on May 29th, 1981 in  the Eastern Highlands area of Nyanga, Zimbabwe. 

 

Rufaro grew up loving and admiring the sculpture in the Gallery of the Nyanga Craft Centre. While he spent much of his years as a young man herding cattle, playing banjo guitar, and moulding animals with clay, these were simply the preliminary steps in aiding Rufaro to pursue a career in carving stone sculpture. He began by working under world-renowned sculptor, Cephas Mashaya, and has over time established himself as the "Golden Boy" of Zimbabwean sculpture. 

 

Rufaro reflects upon showing his work worldwide, "It is a great opportunity for me as an artist to have a chance to exhibit my work to America. America is  the best country in the world, and it represents the whole world to me.  America is my dream country to showcase the importance of my work.  I just feel that every exhibition with my pieces in America is a step upward. 

 

"I was born an artist, it is inside me, it forces me to sculpt.  My art is very important to me.  Of course, I need to earn money through my pieces, but sometimes I need time, time to work as well.  Without time for my art, I feel imprisoned and restricted.  There are times when I want to sculpt and times when I have to sculpt.  Something forces me to do it."

 

From small intimate carvings to towering proclamations of art and beauty, Rufaro's work is  highly sought after internationally and his work is collected by both galleries and private collectors throughout Germany, Holland, the UK, South Africa, Canada and the US. 

Rufaro Ngoma carving at Ukama Gallery

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