Pfungwa Dziike

Pfungwa Dziike was born in 1972 in Mutare, Zimbabwe. He is celebrated for abstract figures of women, women with babies on their backs, and women or carrying pots of perhaps water/maize.

While in primary school, Dziike’s parents passed away and therefore in the customary Zimbabwean way, he was raised by his grandmother. She used to make and sell clay pots, which Dziike started to assist her with. In doing so, his grandmother passed onto him many stories about the Shona traditions, giving Dziike a sense of motivation and contentment in his life.

After completing his education, he moved to Harare where he stayed with an aunt.  He met and was introduced to other stone sculptors who wanted him to be part of a cooperative of stone sculptors called Art Peace, based at Silveira House – a missionary in Harare. Dziike was enrolled in the collective for five years and was mainly assisting the well-known sculptor Amos Supuni, who taught him most of his skill--to create a figure out of raw stone and other techniques in sculpting. Shortly after, to gain more expertise, Dziike worked with Colin Sixpence and Royal Katiyo at Chapungu Sculpture Park in Harare.

He now works with a host of other artists in Mabvuku, a high-density area just outside Harare.

York's Shona Gallery is proud to present Dziike’s "Sweet Girl." Click below for more information.