Thomas Mukarobgwa
Thomas Mukarobgwa (1924-1999) was a Zimbabwean painter and sculptor who worked as a gallery attendant for much of his career.
Mukarobgwa was born in Nyanga, in the countryside of what was then Rhodesia, and had limited education. His first contact with art came in 1956 when he met Frank McEwen, the newly appointed director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. McEwen hired him as a gallery attendant and gave him artistic materials, inviting him to join an art school which was then being formed in the basement of the museum. Mukarobgwa thus became one of the original members of what was to become known as the Workshop School.
Mukarobgwa began his artistic career as a painter, but turned towards sculpture after 1962; he returned to painting only in the early 1990s. He quickly gained an international reputation for his talent, and in 1963 Alfred Barr purchased two of his paintings for the collections of the Museum of Modern Art. Nevertheless, he kept working as a gallery attendant until his retirement in 1997. He planned to devote his remaining years to painting at his country house, but he died in Harare before getting the chance.
Mukarobgwa's art was inspired by his native landscape and by the legends and culture of the Shona people, from whom he was descended. His compositions were simple, and frequently used bright colors and bold contrasts. His sculptures were generally more rounded and smooth, with minimal carving into their surfaces.