Simphiwe Mbunyuza (born 1989) is a South African artist and ceramic sculptor based
in Johannesburg. His large-scale abstract ceramic work draws inspiration from his
Xhosa cultural background and African cultural symbolism. His physical and craft-
based approach to ceramics, allows the hand of the maker to be ever-present in each piece. He maps personally constructed symbols onto his generally very complex, and often very emotive work that embodies narratives of the African culture of Bantu speaking people.
Mbunyuza holds a Masters of Fine Art from The University of Oklahoma and a Fine Art degree from Walter Sisulu University. He has been the subject of numerous exhibitions around the world, including recent solo & group presentations by Solomon Mindy, South Willard & Gordon Robichaux Gallery, Gordon Gallery, African Studies Gallery, Marianne Boesky (Aspen, CO), and Gallery 1957 in London and Accra, Ghana, among others. He is the recipient of awards and residencies including Africa First (Shenkar Academy & Bezalel University); Anderson Ranch Arts Center in 2021; the Red Clay Faction Award and Oscar Jacobson Award from The University of Oklahoma in 2019; John Steele Award for Excellence in Ceramics from The Walter Sisulu University; a residency with Anderson Ranch; A.I.R Vallauris, France, in 2017 and recently completed a 2-year residency at the world-renowned Archie Bray Foundation in Montana, USA.