Photographer, artist, journalist, father, and husband Chicago Taona Dzviti was born 17 September, 1961 in Shamva located in a rural area of northern Zimbabwe. He died on 2 September 1995 at his home in Glen Norah, a suburb of Harare, following his release from the hospital. As an artist and photographer, Chicago Dzviti’s vision was inspired by the beauty and culture of Zimbabwe. He succeeded as an artist through innovation, persistence, and encouragement from his family.
Chicago Dzviti grew up in the rural district of Shamva, where he had limited access to photographic resources and technical training. In 1987, he enrolled at the Harare Polytechnic, where he received a National Foundation Certificate after completing a course of study in photo and printing technology. He subsequently received further training while working as an originator for Modus Publications and Southern Africa Printing and Publishing House.
In 1988, Dzviti began working as a freelance photojournalist, capturing a wide-ranging record of Zimbabwean life. He was published in several periodicals based in southern Africa, including Southern African Political & Economic Monthly, World Vision News, and Horizon. In 1994, Dzviti completed a two-week residency as a photojournalist at the Belgian newspaper De Morgen. During the same year, his article “Thomas Gora Wadharwa” was featured in Dandemutande magazine.
Through a partnership with ethnomusicologist Keith Goddard and the Kunzwana Trust, Dzviti began documenting Zimbabwe’s traditional musicians and instrument makers, including many of the foremost practitioners of the mbira dzavadzimu. Sekuru’s Stories features Dzviti’s portraits of several of these mbira musicians, including Sekuru Tute Chigamba, Irene Chigamba, Thomas Wadharwa Gora, Ephat Mujuru, and Otari Chidembo.
In 1995, several of Chicago Dzviti’s photographs of Zimbabwean musicians were shown at Middle Tennessee State University as part of the exhibition Spirit Talk Mbira: Traditional Musical Instruments of Zimbabwe. In conjunction with the exhibit, Dzviti traveled to the United States with the mbira players Chris Mhlanga and Chartwell Dutiro. Together with Canadian writer/musician Kristyann Robinson and American musician Richard Selman, they traveled throughout Tennessee presenting workshops, lectures, and performances. Also in 1995, Dzviti was featured in two additional solo exhibitions at the Masika Gallery in Seattle, WA and at Pamberi Studios in Hollywood, FL.
In Zimbabwe, Chicago Dziti’s exhibitions included Women and Children in Rural Areas of Zimbabwe at the British Council Gallery (1994), and Going Home at the John Boyne Gallery (1994). A visual record of the repatriation of Mozambican refugees, Going Home was produced in collaboration with Chicago’s good friend and fellow photojournalist Calvin Dondo.
This biographical information is adapted from Dandemutande Magazine’s article “Chicago Dzviti Remembered.” It is used with the permission of author Richard Selman.