Artist Database

Born in 1994, Troy Makaza lives and works in Harare, Zimbabwe. He graduated from the National Gallery of Zimbabwe Visual Arts Studios in 2014 and has since been focusing on developing his own unique medium to best express his ideas. His experiments with different mediums have led him to silicone, which he finds he can cast, paint, weave, etc. The twisted and colourful strands bound together build powerful metaphors for social and intimate spaces, where traditional roles are no longer assured but “liberal” attires don’t always fit. His subject matter references the issues of contemporary Zimbabwean life – politics, history, and authority – and their impact on the lives of ordinary people.

Makaza’s were included in the 2018 survey of Zimbabwean contemporary art at Zeitz MOCAA. In 2019, he won the Tomorrows/Today prize at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair. His work can be found in institutional collections like that of the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden in Marrakech, Morocco; Rollins College museum collection in Orlando, FL, USA; and noted private collections like Jorge Perez’s personal collection in Miami, FL, USA.