Visual Artist Committed to Inspiring an Expressive Life

Rodney Tatenda Badza is not the typical gallery manager that people are accustomed too. He is the manager at an independent internationally emerging artist led contemporary gallery in Harare, First Floor gallery. He is also a visual artist who focuses on photography, graphic illustration and printmaking. At twenty-three years of age, he has managed to fulfill his dream of working in an art space and making a difference in the arts sector.

Badza's interest in art developed at an early stage. During school days, teachers used to task him to draw illustrations for different subjects for the classroom wall charts. Art was not part of the curriculum at the school where he learnt so he practiced it as a hobby. After completion of A-level studies, he enrolled at Chinhoyi University of Technology to pursue his artistic dream at a higher level- he studied for a Bachelor of Science Honors Degree in Fine Art. It was during this time that he perfected his artistic skills and began working with First Floor Gallery. Documenting everyday people's lifestyle in his photography work, Badza has been working with fashion photographers, designers and models for almost two years now. With 3 other young men (Munyaradzi Marozva, Zolile Makeleni and Bruce Chimbunde) they formed StillMotionZim Photography. StillMotionZim Photography was nominated for the Fashion Photographers of the Year category at the Zimbabwe Model Awards in 2015. Together, they have done photo shoots with local models and currently working with Harare Mudhuri Fashion Week scheduled for November 2016.

Not only has he learnt and specialized in fine art photography, Badza is also into printmaking, particularly card print and lino techniques. In May this year, his first solo exhibition was hosted by First Floor Gallery, which marked the completion of his degree program with Chinhoyi University of Technology. Amongst the works exhibited was a series of prints titled 'Listen to my Soul'. Inspired by his surroundings and experiences, Badza describes his works as stories of everyday lives, challenges and problems encountered, particularly relationships and the basic interaction amongst human beings. He also took part in the Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA) 2015. Andy Warhol’s works inspire his graphic illustrations and his pieces are works of abstract portraiture.

 Today Badza works as a gallery manager. His duties include curating exhibitions and working with other young visual artists who work with the gallery both locally and internationally. He is also a part time graphic designer. In the meantime, Badza has been working with Awareness Africa Trust, a local non-governmental organization, on a project of raising awareness in the high density suburbs by encouraging young people to participate in art projects and setting up spaces for art activities .Plans to set up these centers in Highfield and Mufakose are already underway. He is also the Co-founder of Revival Arts Trust, a Marondera based organization, which organized the Pfumvudza Arts Festival which hosted its inaugural event in Marondera early this year, this was in collaboration with Cultures in Harmony, an American non-profit corporation (http://culturesinharmony.org).They are currently working on Pfumvudza Arts Festival 2017.

 Rodney Badza can be found at First Floor Gallery Harare, 31 Lyric Heights 149 SamoraMachel Avenue. http://www.artoflerodini.weebly.com Facebook page: Art of Le Rodni/ StillMotionZim Photography Instagram-@le_rodni/ @stillmotionzim_photography LinkedIn- Rodney T Badza Badza dreams of creating a strong art culture in Zimbabwe through collaborating with both local and international artists, and he looks forward to exhibit many artworks in the future.