“I have a strong interest in human interaction in urban environment- streetwalkers, touts, obscure characters, men and women inhabiting urban spaces. I call my paintings ‘urban narratives’”

Charles Bhebe was born in Lupane, Zimbabwe and currently lives and works in Bulawayo. He studied fine art at Mzilikazi Art and Craft center . 

His two-dimensional works explore the human figure as an individual and as part of a community, focusing on the issues of identity and belonging; spaces we occupy, the information we receive and share, who we associate with, our response to changes around us, be it by design or by natural causes. 

Bhebe’s works explore the social beliefs inherent to the human need to belong, they recount decades of continuous physical and psychological evolution as a human condition motivated not by just the need to survive, but also the need to justify our existence in relation to our surroundings.  

His works have been featured in galleries across Zimbabwe, National Art gallery of  Zimbabwe and represented his country at the 57th Venice Biennale at the Zimbabwe  Pavilion. Bhebe participated in numerous group exhibitions in Meerbusch, Germany, and at the Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town. He also embarked on large scale mural projects with the Farbfieber Artists association in Düsseldorf, Germany, where 10 large scale Murals were realized in collaboration with artists from Latin America and Europe. 

Selected Exhibitions

2022
African Identities, Group exhibition, AKKA Project Venice, Venice, Italy

Art Dubai 2022, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

2021
Rhythmic Elements, Group exhibition curated by Tafadzwa Gwetai, AKKA Project Venice, Venice, Italy

2018
Essence of Now, Copenhagen, Denmark 

Five Bhobh: Painting at the End of an Era, Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa 

2017
57th Venice Biennale, Zimbabwe Pavilion, Venice, Italy 

2016
Zimbabwe Annual Exhibition, Harare, Zimbabwe

2013
Reciprocal Narratives About Home, National Gallery in Bulawayo, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

2010
Live n’Direct, Harare, Zimbabwe 

2008
Symphony II, Solo exhibition, Meerbusch, Germany 

2006
Symphony I, Solo Exhibition, National Gallery in Bulawayo, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

2004
Back to Basics, Teloy-Muhle Lank, Germany 

2003
Kunst Grenzlos, Meerbusch, Germany 

2000
Solo Exhibition, Minden, Germany 

1999
Images and Words, Solo exhibition, Meerbusch, Germany

1998
First Biennale Heritage Exhibition, Harare, Zimbabwe 

Mural Projects
2017

40 Grad Festival, Holthausen, Düsseldorf, Germany 

Weltbaustelle, Siegen, Germany 

2005
Universität Greifswald, Germany 

2004
Eine Welt Haus, Rostock, Germany 

2003
Mural Mobile, “No Condition Is Permanent”, Düsseldorf, Germany 

2002
Vodafone Parkhaus Landtag, Düsseldorf, Germany 

Eine Welt Haus, Munich, Germany 

Gladbeck Butendorf, Germany 

2001
Amakhosi Theatre, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe 

2000
Kaufhaus Hagemeyer, Minden, Germany 

1999
Haus der Jugend , Düsseldorf, Germany