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Option Nyahunzvi
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Born 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe
Lives and works in Ruwa, Zimbabwe
Option Nyahunzvi employs his artistic practice to focus on matters of spirituality central to his Shona culture. Characterised by layers of bright colours fused with contour lines, his vibrant and dynamic compositions explore the communion between ancestral spirits and the living. Combining past and present, Nyahunzvi’s works are characterised by ghostly apparitions that appear as distorted figures inhabiting the backgrounds. These spirits are mostly well-intentioned, serving as guardian angels that protect their descendants.  A frequent feature in Nyahunzvi’s work is the zebra— a totem that connects the artist and his clan to their ancestors. The artist inserts the zebra print into his artworks as a point of departure for exploring and asserting the importance of traditional storytelling and mythology from a contemporary angle. Nyahunzvi had a solo exhibition, titled Kwatinobva Kunoyera (Sacred Origins), with Unit London in 2022.
Option Dzikamai Nyahunzvi, Pidigori, 2022, Acrylic, oils, and paper collage on canvas, 143.5x 149 cm. Courtesy of Unit London.

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