Thamsanga Mfuphi is a self-taught artist born in 1998 in rural areas of KwaZulu Natal in Estcourt,
currently based and working in Harrismith. After the death of his mother in 2002, he moved to stay
with his stepmother’s family in Zimbabwe, where he learned life lessons the hard way, being a
victim of child abuse, being denied a chance to go to school like any other kid, going weeks without
anything to eat, at times, being chased out from the place he considered home.
These are amongst the challenges he faced throughout the 13 years he lived in Zimbabwe. This was the birth of his talent and gift as he normally used it to heal, find peace and tell his journey through the use of materials he related to/ was surrounded by, and materials that best described his condition.
Matriculated in 2017. He then went to further his studies at the University of Johannesburg, within
the School of Business and Economics where he was institutionalized for a Bachelor of Commerce in
Business Management and he obtained his qualification in record time. His motive in studying
towards this qualification was to get an understanding of the business industry and gather
information that would turn his talent into a successful career and a business. After obtaining a
business management qualification he then went further to polish his art skills and techniques at
Artist Proof Studio.
He aims at equipping himself with certain competencies that will enable him to contribute to the
development of a professional culture of printmaking within the Visual Arts and production of artworks that aligns with his style and is underpinned by the applied knowledge he gained in both Printmaking and drawing at Artist Proof Studio.
Competition history:
2023 Public Choice Award