TAURAI MASIRI
1959, Nyazura, Zimbabwe
Taurai has always had a fascination with wildlife and animals in general, having grown up on a farm in the rural areas of Zimbabwe.
He has developed a significant reputation as one of the best exponents of Wildlife stone carvings that he creates in a realistic style which includes Buffaloes, Lions and various antelopes found in Zimbabwe.
From 1982 to 1985 he served as an apprentice sculptor under the tutelage of renowned wildlife artist, Lameck Zano. From 1986 to1989, he worked for Chapungu Sculpture Park as an independent charge hand, with the gallery assisting mainly with the marketing of his artworks. Taurai eventually moved away from Chapungu and began operating from his home from 1990
Taurai is now based in Chitungwiza just outside the capital city, Harare.
During 1999, he was one of a handful of artists invited to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, where Queen Elizabeth II was visiting during a state visit to Zimbabwe. In May 2016, former Namibian President Dr Sam Nujoma became the third president to receive one of Taurasi’s buffalo sculptures into their private collections. The others being, the former President of Zimbabwe, RG Mugabe and the former President of Senegal.
Tauraii won first prize in his category at the Brock Awards, in Zimbabwe, in 2017.
Lately, Taurai has turned his attention to more abstracted representations of animals including his “Feeding Horse” series, and these sculptures are being enthusiastically received, Taurai is an extremely skillful and gifted sculptor who often undertakes commission work from collectors globally.
