Julio Rizhi creates wall-hanging sculptures using plasticware he finds in everyday urban life, melting and fusing them with mesh wire. Through the socio-ethical lens of contemporary Zimbabwean urban life, his intricately striking sculptures reflect the city’s complexities and highlight the connections between consumption and its consequences. 

Born in Zimbabwe in 1991 to a Mozambican immigrant family, Julio grew up in the township of Mbare, where he briefly attended the National Gallery School of Visual Art and Design before joining a collective of artists working in the community. For the past six years, he has been based at Mbare Art Space being one of its first artists.

His practice has gained recognition through exhibitions in Zimbabwe and across the African continent, and he has participated in numerous art fairs, including the Johannesburg Art Fair and the Cape Town Art Fair, in addition to international exhibitions.