
Takunda Chipara
Born: 1995
Hometown: Harare
Based in: Harare
Born: 1995
Hometown: Harare
Based in: Harare
I am a Zimbabwean based photographer and visual artist. Born and raised in the Capital City, I have been pursuing a career as a fashion & portrait photographer for 4 years now. My photography began as a coping mechanism for my mental health and it is inspired by the need to express myself visually in ways that i can't with mere words, which i feel are taken for granted a lot and often don't adequately drive the message home.
Images can be a powerful tool to fuel action and tell stories that are often minimised and at the same time, ensure that the creative's fingerprint is still embedded within each piece. I often view the world as a self replicating system, manifesting itself in different ways in order to be understood better. If 20 news outlets can report the same story, what makes each outlet stand out from its counterparts? What minute nuances are they injecting into the process of telling that story that makes the words sound that more informative & inviting? Exploring these storytelling avenues is the journey I have been on since I purchased my first camera. Finding ways to tell multifaceted & multi-perspective stories that are being/have been told in unique ways and becoming another voice within the choir of visual artists in Zimbabwe, Africa and the Globe.
My dream is to showcase my work in all countries around the world and tell a few stories from each, whether the stories are those of individuals who don't particularly stand out within society or whether the stories are the ones mentioned in daily conversations within that space.
What inspires you?
Synthetic imagination. I believe that everything in the world is connected and those connection can be put forward and presented visually. I enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life and figuring out how to tell them in loud but minimalistic ways, in layered imagery.
Describe your creative process.
Passive intentionality. This term is in line with the idea of synthetic imagination where i take various seeminlgy unrelated items and find a way to put them together to tell a speicific story. I often create best in the moment, said moment being when i am photographing as well as when i am editing even though i plan out my work prior.
What are 3 words that best describe your work?
Warm, Powerful, Layered
Who are some artists that have influenced your work?
Jessica Kobeissi, Sammi Swar, Emmanuel Oyeleke, Kudakwashe Chakwanda, Ralph Chikambi, Tinotenda Nyandoro, Tammie Kudita,
What is the most important tool when creating your work?
Open Mindedness
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
To keep challenging myself and appreciate the value of my own work
Where do you go for inspiration?
Instagram and Pinterest
Education
University of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe, 2018
Exhibitions
Abantu Exhibition
Australia, 2020
Press
Grok Online
2020