“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