Valentine Magutsa
Born in 1975 in Mberengwa, Zimbabwe. Valentine grew up at a Tea Estate in Chipinge in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. While at the tea estate he was exposed to various farming activities and unique scenery surroundings. This scenery formed part of his early painting subjects inspiring Valentine to view life from a different perspective. He was fascinated by the reciprocal relationship between human beings and nature, and how each can influence the various conditions they find themselves in.
His artistic talent was nurtured when he went to Hartzell high school near Mutare in 1989 to 1992. Manicaland is in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. This region is very scenic with mountains, waterfalls, and forests. Valentine was continually inspired.
In 1995 to 1998, he enrolled at Chinhoyi University to study Art for both Industry and the Education sector. Valentine taught Art in Chipinge and Bulawayo until the year 2005 when he decided to pursue a full-time painting career.
Valentine continued to work very hard to build a name internationally in the Arts field. He was however struck by a crippling rheumatoid arthritis in November 2011 leaving him more or less bedridden and confined to using a wheelchair. Despite all these challenges, Valentine has a resilient spirit and has made a very powerful comeback which is nothing short of a miracle and his faith in God.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
"For most of us life is a struggle. Day in and day out we toil and spin to make ends meet. My work comments on the various aspects of society; how people effect or are affected by the conditions they find themselves in.
The depiction of the road in most of my paintings is symbolic for all the ups and downs we face in our daily struggles. My landscape work takes people on a soul searching journey as they try to appreciate and discover the wonders of creation. Landscapes actually speak to us.
We need patience to understand their language. They can arouse and calm down emotions. My work is a bridge between realism and abstraction I have developed my own unique style characterized by very rich textures, vibrant colours and dynamic brush strokes in acrylics on canvas.
As you interact with my work, remember that a painting is never complete until it is released to a viewer and my best painting is always the next one.”
Over the years his paintings have not only won the hearts of many but allowed him to pocket a few deserved accolades to his name and recognition in both the local and international media.
Valentine has exhibited in 20 Solo Exhibitions and 45 Selected Group Exhibitions in Zimbabwe and Internationally with the latest one, “Flora, Fauna and Folk” running at Fillingdon Fine Art, United Kingdom, 9-22 July 2022 and the 2022-Art Show International Gallery, USA-Landscape-5 International Juried Contest where he recently won the HONOURABLE MENTION AWARD.
EXHIBITIONS PROFILE
For the past twenty seven years, Valentine has exhibited in 20 solo and 45 group exhibitions in Zimbabwe, Cape Town, South Africa, Finland, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, American and the Australian Embassy.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS BY VALENTINE MAGUTSA
2021 Spirited away into nature- Fishmonger Restaurant, Enterprise Road, Harare
2021 July - Bruce Rowlands Architect, Rockyvale, Harare
2020 September - Spring Blossoms - Online Exhibition
2020 March - Nature`s Whispers - Online Exhibition
2020 May - Recent Paintings - Old Stables Market, Borrowdale, Harare
2020 Echoes from my Heart 2 - Tanglewood Art Zone, Harare
2019 “Echoes from my Heart 1” - Hosted by The Australian Embassy
2018 “What`s the next plan?” - Tanglewood Art Zone, Harare
2016 "Strings of Hope 2" - Amanzi Gallery, Harare
2015 "40th Birthday Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings and Prints by Valentine Magutsa" - Queen of Hearts Cafe, Harare
2013 ”Recent Paintings by Valentine Magutsa”-Safari Gear, Doon Estate Harare
2012 “Spring Colours 2” – American Embassy, Harare
2011 “Spring Colours”- Lucky Bean Art Gallery, Msasa, Harare
2007 “Toita Sei? Senzenjani? What shall we do?” National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo
2006 “Strings of Hope” –National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare
2005 “Kutatarika/ Struggling” National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mutare
2003 “Pasion” - Zimbabwe German Society, Harare
2003 “Passion” - National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare
2002 “Inside, Within and beyond.” - National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mutare
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2022 July - A Taste of Africa , Group Exhibition with Sheena Chadwick and Oksana Rakocha Crean- The Bottom Drawer, Belgravia, Harare
2022 July - Art & Collectables- Old Stables Market, Borrowdale, Harare
2022 July – All things bright and beautiful- The Gallery, College Road, Harare
2022 July – So the story begins- National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mutare
2022 July - Flora, Fauna & Folk- Fillingdon Fine Art, United Kingdom
2022 July - Landscape-5 International Juried contest-Art Show International Gallery, USA
2022 March - 4 The Love Of Trees – 15 York Avenue, Newlands, Harare
2022 March - Lunar Harvest Exhibition- The Vanilla Moon, Mt Pleasant, Harare
2021 December - Exhibition of small works- Ela The Garden, Newlands, Harare
2021 December - Living Space Art Exhibition- Living Space. Arundel, Harare
2021 October - Jacaranda Art Fair- Old Stables Market, Borrowdale, Harare
2021 September – Vumba Fair- Tony`s Coffee Shop, Vumba
2019 UNICEF International Day of persons with disabilities, National Art Gallery, Harare, December 1
2018 Vumba Fair, Whitehorse Inn, Vumba
2016-2019 Verandah Gallery Annual Show, Emerald Hill, Harare
2014-2019 Wild Geese Annual Art Festival, Wild Geese Lodge, Harare
2014 On the stoep Art Exhibition,Bulawayo.( Guest Artist),
2013 Verandah Gallery Annual Show, Emerald Hills, Harare
2012 The Podripske Museum Exhibition“ CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART.”From the collections of Dr Marie Imbrova, Lobkowicz Castle, Karlovo namesti, Roudnice nad Labem, Czech Republic July 03, 2012-September 30 2012
2011 Lucky Bean Ar t Gallery, Harare
2011 “Landscape Show”- Gallery Delta, Harare
2010 Picture Frame Gallery, Harare
2010 Village Framers, Claremont, Capetown, South Africa
2010 Cape Gallery, Capetown, South Africa
2009 Smac Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
2007 “Group exhibition with Daryl Nero, Leslie Johnson & Cosmas Shiridzinomwa” – Mercy Corps, Harare
2006 “Group Exhibition (fundraising for the cancer society) with Lin Barrie, Paul Marx, Sue Jarvis & Crystal Wynn” – Harare Club
2005 “Christmas show” - Richard Rennie, Harare
2004 “Helsinki, Finland”
2003 “Two man exhibition with Justin Gope” –National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mutare
2002 “Manicaland show of the Arts”- National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mutare
2002 “Zimbabwe Heritage Biennale”- National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare
2002 “Musangano Lodge”, Mutare
2002 “Richard Rennie” - Harare
2002 “Africa University” – Mutare
2001 “Manicaland Show of Arts” - National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mutare
1999 “Young Artists” - Gallery, Delta, Harare
1997 “Heroes Exhibition” Mutupo Gallery, Harare
1997 “Zimbabwe Heritage” - National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare
AWARDS
July 2022 “Honourable Mention Award” Art S how International Gallery, USA
2002 "Overal award of Distinction" Manicaland show of the arts, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mutare
2001 "Overal award of Distinction" (painting), National Gallery, Mutare
2001 "Award of Merit", Manicaland show of the arts, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Mutare
MEDIA REVIEWS
Independent Observer—Social Culture 12 March 2021 https://observerid.com/part-iii-a-love-of-flamboyant-trees-and-the-art-of-valentine-magutsa/
Saturday Chronicle (16 July 2011)
The Chronicle (1 September 2007)
The Sunday News (2 September 2002)
The Zimbabwean (UK) (19 August 2005)
The Daily News (12 August 2005, 28 December 2000, 22 February 2003)
The Manica Post (7 March 2003, 18 October 2000)
The Eastern star (19 July 2003, 7 April 2000, 3 January 2003)
The Sunday Mail Magazine (13 August 2000)
CLIENTELLE
My commission work has enriched the collection of clients in Zimbabwe, USA, China, UK, Israel, Japan, Korea, Kenya, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany and Canada.I have also managed to bring on board foreign embassies as my clients and have done solo exhibitions with them.
