MOFFAT TAKADIWA
Moffat Takadiwa is a Zimbabwean artist whose art is shown internationally. He was born in 1983 in Karori, Zimbabwe, and later moved to the city of Harare. He has his own art studio called Mbare Art Space in Harare, and he invites other artist to work with him regularly. Takadiwa’s art is made out of found, everyday objects such as computer keys, toothbrush heads, and toothpaste tubes, etc. He turns something considered trash into something beautiful in his art.
Most of Takadiwa’s inspiration comes from Indigenous crafts and basket weaving. He drills, glues, and threads the objects together to create something similar to beads. He gets his materials from the trash that is dumped from the U.S. and other Western countries. Takadiwe’s art is similar to topography roads, fields, and pieces of land. His art critiques colonialism, inequity, and environmental destruction.
On the front of my Wayfinder there is a collage made of colorful tissue paper and flowers from a book about plants. I wanted to include colors so it would stand out and because most of his art is colorful and reflects light. I chose flowers as he wants to keep our environment safe and this Wayfinder is located in the garden. The front also has computer keys spelling out “Son of the Soil,” which was the title of Moffat’s first solo exhibition in the U.S. The edge is also covered by computer keys colored with a mirror pen. I went through our school’s e-waste and took apart computers to get my pieces. On the back/base it is painted black. It is covered with a red collage and red computer keys. This project really showed me that I don’t need expensive or fancy things to make art.
Most of Takadiwa’s inspiration comes from Indigenous crafts and basket weaving. He drills, glues, and threads the objects together to create something similar to beads. He gets his materials from the trash that is dumped from the U.S. and other Western countries. Takadiwe’s art is similar to topography roads, fields, and pieces of land. His art critiques colonialism, inequity, and environmental destruction.
On the front of my Wayfinder there is a collage made of colorful tissue paper and flowers from a book about plants. I wanted to include colors so it would stand out and because most of his art is colorful and reflects light. I chose flowers as he wants to keep our environment safe and this Wayfinder is located in the garden. The front also has computer keys spelling out “Son of the Soil,” which was the title of Moffat’s first solo exhibition in the U.S. The edge is also covered by computer keys colored with a mirror pen. I went through our school’s e-waste and took apart computers to get my pieces. On the back/base it is painted black. It is covered with a red collage and red computer keys. This project really showed me that I don’t need expensive or fancy things to make art.
Photo of Moffat Takadiwa from "Son of the Soil" at Nicodim in Los Angeles, September 13th 2019
https://autre.love/journal/2019/9/13/s5nuch07jrab2whxc7eus2517o1jdd
My sketchbook really helped me explore and understand monuments. I really enjoyed collaging and watercoloring. On the first day we saw Chloe Bass’s Soft Services and did rubbings on stone. We went to UW and saw the George Washington statue and drew how we thought we could change it for the better. We watercolored a Bonsai tree using watercolors and transfer paper. Later we went to the AIDS Memorial Pathway and created memory maps. My favorite was definitely our Bonsai watercolor. I had a lot of fun with it and learned so much.
Kate Webber (she/her) Class of 2026
I have been at NWS for four years. I enjoy art, sports, and music. I hope my Wayfinder will get this artist more well known, he has a lot of important topics that he shows through his art.
Thank you to James Blake who created all of our Wayfinders!
Thank you to Julia Freeman, Kate Boyd, and my editor Connor Virzi who gave me so much great advice and support!
I have been at NWS for four years. I enjoy art, sports, and music. I hope my Wayfinder will get this artist more well known, he has a lot of important topics that he shows through his art.
Thank you to James Blake who created all of our Wayfinders!
Thank you to Julia Freeman, Kate Boyd, and my editor Connor Virzi who gave me so much great advice and support!
