Tatenda Chidora is a Zimbabwean visual artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mainly known for commercial and
fine art photography, his mode of visual storytelling intends to both investigate and celebrate the multifaceted expression
of blackness. Chidora’s work uses elements of performance and play to explore themes of place, identity and manhood.
Through his iconoclastic portraiture, he is questioning the traditional notions of masculinity, and its ever-expanding
potential ‘to be soft’. He draws from fashion, history and cultural aesthetics to create dynamic compositions that offer
alternative visions of being, imbued with a sense of connection, imagination and community.
While his work may resonate with a particularly African experience, it reflects on the universal shift to re-defining and
translating the complex beauty of the black identity, and in turn contributing to a contemporary visual tapestry. His
photographic interests extend to exploring the everyday, which he encounters through his architecture and landscape
works.
In 2023, Chidora was the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Humanity Vol. 5 Series Winner. In 2022, he was
shortlisted for the Contemporary African Photography Prize. He has participated in numerous festivals and exhibitions
around the world, such as 1-54 London amongst others.
Tatenda Chidora is a Zimbabwean visual artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mainly known for commercial and
fine art photography, his mode of visual storytelling intends to both investigate and celebrate the multifaceted expression
of blackness. Chidora’s work uses elements of performance and play to explore themes of place, identity and manhood.
Through his iconoclastic portraiture, he is questioning the traditional notions of masculinity, and its ever-expanding
potential ‘to be soft’. He draws from fashion, history and cultural aesthetics to create dynamic compositions that offer
alternative visions of being, imbued with a sense of connection, imagination and community.
While his work may resonate with a particularly African experience, it reflects on the universal shift to re-defining and
translating the complex beauty of the black identity, and in turn contributing to a contemporary visual tapestry. His
photographic interests extend to exploring the everyday, which he encounters through his architecture and landscape
works.
In 2023, Chidora was the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Humanity Vol. 5 Series Winner. In 2022, he was
shortlisted for the Contemporary African Photography Prize. He has participated in numerous festivals and exhibitions
around the world, such as 1-54 London amongst others.