born 1952 in Nyanga, Zimbabwe
lives and works as a sculptor in Ruwa, south of Harare
One of the best known Shona artist of Zimbabwe
Created the strong and proud "Takawira women", stone busts in a manner resembling Nefertiti
Long considered a junior brother to John and Bernard Takawira, Lazarus Takawira began working in sculpture under his brother John’s guidance in the early 1970s. He has since developed an unmistakable style of his own, which has brought him fame at home and abroad. In twenty years of work as a sculptor, the style, subject matter and approach of Lazarus Takawira have changed considerably. He no prefers to leave large parts of his sculptures untreated and drawing attention to the tension between the polished stone and the pits, tears and faults in the parts left in their original state. The so-called ‘Takawira Women’ represent a particular thematic focus. He refers to them as ‘proud women’, whom he depicts, in a manner resembling Nefertiti, in stone busts.
2008 - Nama Award (National Arts Merit Award), Harare, Zimbabwe
1993 - Award of Merit, Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
1991 - Award of Distinction, Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
1990 - Certificate of Excellence, Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
1989 - Award of Merit, Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
1988 - Certificate of Excellence, Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
1987 - Commission for Old Mutual, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Commission of Water Spirit for Chapungu Village Sculpture Garden, Harare, Zimbabwe
2009 - „Spirit of a Woman“, Galerie Emil Julis, Černčice (Louny), Tschechien
1989 - Französische Botschaft, Harare, Zimbabwe
1987 - Standard Chartered Gallery, John Boyne House, Harare, Zimbabwe
Group Exhibitions (Selection)
2015 - Works Exhibiton, The National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
2013 - Heritage Exhibition, The National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
- "Transforming African Modernism - 25 Years of Zimbabwe Stone Sculputre (1980-2005), South Shore Art Center, Cohasset
2010 - "Embracing the Spirit", Henley on Thames, London, UK
2009 - „Spirit of a Woman“, Galerie Emila Juliše, Černčice (Louny), Tschechien
2008 - „The Spirit of Woman“, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
- „Sculptors of Zimbabwe“, National Museum of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenia
2007 - „Women is stronger than man“, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
2006 -
Minnesota Rocks International Stone Carving Symposium
- "The Frank Mc Ewen Collection of Shona Sculpture in the British Museum", British Museum, London, UK
- "The Frank Mc Ewen Collection of Shona Sculpture in the British Museum", National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
2005 - „Out of Africa“, Wanderausstellung: Athen, Griechenland und Houston, USA
2004 - „Zimbabwe Stone Sculpture. A Retrospective 1957 – 2004“, Pierre Gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe
2003 - „In the Praise of Women“ (Lob der Frauen), Oxford, England und Upsalla, Schweden
1999 - Women in Stone“
1997 - „Another Africa“, Colorfield Gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Sandros Gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe
- „Flying Bullets“, Cassian de Vere Cole Fine Art, London, England
1996 - „Aufbruch. Moderne afrikanische Kunst“, Die Sammlung Kleine-Gunk, Fürth, Deutschland
- „Die 96 Skulpturen“, Deutschland
1995 - „Afrikanische Gegenwartskunst. Skulpturen und Gemälde aus Zimbabwe und Uganda“, Kunst Transit, Berlin, Deutschland
1994 - 1995 - „Die Steinbildhauer aus Zimbabwe“, Palmengarten, Frankfurt a.M. , Deutschland
- „Afrika heute. Skulptur der Shona. Werke der Sammlung Kleine-Gunk“, Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen, Deutschland, 18. 11. 1993 – 23. 1. 1994
1994 - Galerie im Schloßgarten, Gauangeloch, Leimen, Deutschland
- „Bloomsbury Workshop“, London, England
1993 - „Bloomsbury Workshop“, London, England
1992 - „Rhino Watch“, Cambridge, England
- „Stone Sculpture“, Zimbabwe Pavillon, Expo 1992, Sevilla, Spanien
1991 - Geo Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
1990 - „Zimbabwe Heritage Exibition (National Gallery of Zimbabwe)“ Auckland , Neuseeland während der Commonwealth Spiele
- „Contemporary Stone Sculpture from Zimbabwe“, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, England, 22. 7. – 25. 11. 1990
- „Sculpture Contemporaires du Zimbabwe“, Musee National des Arts Africains et Oceaniens, Paris, Frankreich
- „„Contemporary Art from Southern Africa: Art from the Frontline“, Glasgow Art Gallery und Museum, Salford City Art Gallery, England und The City Centre, Dublin, Irland
1989 - „Zimbabwe op de Berg“, Foundation Beelden op de Berg, Wageningen, Niederlande
- „Spirit and Matter“, Le Forum, Französische Botschaft, Harare, Zimbabwe
- „Present and Future. Le Forum“, Französische Botschaft, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Stone Dynamics Gallery, Frankreich
1988 - Gruppenausstellung in Rom, Italien
1986 - „Soul in Stone“, Irving Sculpture Gallery, Sydney, Australien (in Kooperation mit The Gallery Shona Sculpture, Harare)
1985 - „Contemporary Stone Sculpture from Zimbabwe“, Irving Sculpture Gallery, Sydney, Australien (in Kooperation mit The Gallery Shona Sculpture, Harare)
Seit 1971 - heute - Jahresausstellungen der National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Biography on National Gallery of Zimbabwe, website
- "McEwen Collection", British Museum, London, 2012
- Winter-Irving, Celia, „Spirit of a Woman. A journey through the sculpture of Lazarus Takawira, Alliance Francaise de Bulawayo, Bulawayo, 2009
- Möller, Jochen; Müller, Bastian, „Shona im Park. Steinbildhauer aus Simbabwe“, Dortmunder Westfalenpark, Dortmund, 2008. 161 S.
- Knizac, Milan; Winter-Irving, Celia, „Contemporary Zimbabwean Sculpture“, Nationalgalerie der Tschechischen Republik, Prag, 2007, 193 S. (engl.)
- „Vier Generationen von Bildhauern aus Zimbabwe“, Prag, 2007. 81 S. (nur tschechisch)
- Sibanda, Doreen, „Zimbabwe Stone Sculpture. A Retrospective 1957 – 2004“, Embassy of France & Weaver Press, Harare 2004, 148 S. mit farbigen Abbildungen
- Botsford, Fraser, "The House of Stone", in "In Praise of Women", African Millennium Foundation, S. 65-68
- Joosten, B., "Sculptors from Zimbabwe. The first Generation", Nijmege Printers, Netherland, 2001
- Harman-Jones, Jerry and Gothrie, Roy, Catalogue by Chapungu Sculpture Park, 136 S. + photographs, Harare, Zimbabwe, 2000
- Pearce, Sara, „Common grand: Lazarus Takawira & Mike Bradshaw“, Sara Pearce Fine Art, London, 1998. 22 S.
- Kleine-Gunk, Bernd, „Aufbruch. Moderne afrikanische Kunst“, Die Sammlung Kleine-Gunk, Fürth, 1996, Katalog 94 S., Farbabbildungen
- Deliss, Clémentine, „seven stories about modern art in africa“, Whitechapel/Flammarion, Paris - New York, 1995
- Hennes, Barbara u. a. (Hg.) „Afrika heute. Skulptur der Shona. Werke der Sammlung Kleine-Gunk“, Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen, 1993, 86 S., S/W-Abbildungen
- Kleine-Gunk, Bernd, „Shona-Skulptur. Zehn Bildhauer aus Zimbabwe“, Graphium Press, Wuppertal, 1993, 48 S.
Winter-Irving, Celia, „Stone Sculpture in Zimbabwe. Context, Content & Form“, Roblaw Publishers, Harare, Simbabwe, 1991, 210 S.
- Sultan, Olivier, „Live in stone. Zimbabwean sculpture. Birth of a contemporary art form“, Baobab Books, Harare, 1990, 86 S.
- Glasgow Art Gallery, „Contemporary Art from Southern Africa: Art from the Frontline“, London, 1990
- Yorkshire Sculpture Park, „Contemporary Stone Sculpture from Zimbabwe“, Yorkshire, 1990, 60 S., Farbabbildungen
- Mor, Ferdinand, „Shona Sculpture“, Jongwe, Harare, 1987, 160 S.
Videofilm:
- „Talking stones“, Granada Television Production for ITV; narrated by John Bowe; produced and directed by Tony Bulley. 60 minutes. Videocassette. VHS. sd., color, ½in. Title on cover: Zimbabwe: talking stones. Distributed by Films for the Humanities & Social Sciences, P. O. Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543-2053. video 000228 AFA. OCLC 28287035.
- „Voyage“. Programme: „Afrik’art: Harare“
www.voyage.fr/programmes/id=371
- National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
- HRH Prince Charles, London, England
- Musée Rodin, Paris, Frankreich
- African Art Collection, Paris, Frankreich
- Africa Museum Tervuren, Belgien
- Government of New Zealand, Neuseeland
- World Bank, New York, USA
- H. G. Ward Collection, New York, USA
- Poindexter Collection (30. 9. 2009)
- Museum of Bombay, Indien
- Kunst Transit, Berlin, Deutschland
- Bernd Kleine-Gunk, Fürth, Deutschland
- Sammlung Wild, Berlin, Deutschland