Taurai Valerie Mtake
ABOUT ME
I am a multi award-winning graphic designer and type designer passionate about the transformative potential of design in contemporary visual culture. My work explores the tensions between traditional cultural practices and the staged authenticity often seen in modern contexts, where the historical significance of objects and designs is frequently lost, even to their creators. I see design as a powerful tool to preserve and elevate indigenous systems, protecting them from being reduced to mere decorative elements or curios for mass consumption.
Through my design practice, I strive to celebrate and safeguard these invaluable cultural resources for future generations. Other interests: Creative expression through modeling and acting as an extra in film and media projects. Tennis enthusiast with a lifelong dedication to the sport, having played since childhood.
EXPERIENCE
Google Fonts | Typeface Designer 10/2023 – 03/2024 | United States, Sweden (Remote)
Northvolt | Brand Designer 08/2023 – 14/02/2024 | Stockholm, Sweden
HÄNDER | Editorial Designer for Kristina Skantze 08/2022 –01/2023 | Stockholm, Sweden
Grafikens Hus | Project based Graphic Designer 12/2021 – 05/2022 | Stockholm, Sweden.
CBZ Holdings (Financial services conglomerate) | InHouse Graphic Designer 11/2019 – 08/2021 | Harare, Zimbabwe.
Shift Engage (Advertising agency) | Creative Designer 11/2018 – 10/2019 | Harare, Zimbabwe.
Quill Advertising and Marketing (Advertisng agency) | Creative Director 07/2018 – 10/2018 | Harare, Zimbabwe.
TBWA\ Grid Worldwide Branding (Pty) Ltd) | Graphic Designer 10/2017 – 03/2018 | Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mycalture Marketing CC | Graphic Designer 01/2017 – 09/2017 | Johannesburg, South Africa.
Triple M Graphic Arts | Editorial Designer (Internship) April 2015 – December 2015 Johannesburg, South Africa.
Niceworks | Junior Graphic Designer (Internship) 06/2015 – 07/2015 | Johannesburg, South Africa.
Arnoldino Media | Part time Junior Graphic Designer 01/2013 – 12/2013 | Johannesburg, South Africa.
BlueApple | Part time remote Junior Graphic Designer 01/2013 – 12/2013 | Harare, Zimbabwe.
EDUCATION
August 2021 – June 2023
Masters in Visual Communication
Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Design) - Sweden
• After receiving a scholarship that paid for my tuition for two years, I moved to Sweden.
• While there, I studied norm creativity, graduated and I was recognised as a deserving student and received awards like the Samfond award for my hard work.
You can can download for free here: https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Madimi+One
January 2013 - December 2016
Bachelor Honours in Visual Communication
Greenside Design Center, College of Design - South Africa
• Moving to South Africa was prompted by a desire to expand my knowledge in visual communication.
• The experience provided insights into design thinking, culminating in the creation of the award-winning project, madímì. This achievement has propelled me to recognition on both local and international levels in the design sphere.
SKILLS
Adobe Master Suite InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects
I use this on almost daily basis
Figma
Daily basis
Microsoft Office Suite
Daily basis
Notion
Daily basis
WordPress
Once a week
Adobe XD
Daily basis
Exhibitions
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2023 Turné för Ung Svensk Form:
7/02 – 11/02/2023, Stockholm Furniture Fair, Stockholm
2/03 – 16/04/2023, IKEA Museum, Älmhult
26/05 – 4/06/2023, Sara Kulturhus, Skellefteå
2/09 – 5/11/2023 Textilmuseet, Textile Fashion Center, Borås
16/11/2023 – 11/02 2024), Malmö Museer, Malmö
20/05 – 26/05 2023, Konstfack Spring exhibition, Stockholm
2022, Fiber Space, Stockholm
2018, Harare International Festival of the Arts, Harare
2015, 2016, Greenside Design Center, Johannesburg
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
Madímì Solo Exhibition (2022) Fiber Space, Stockholm, Sweden.
22/04 – 29/04/2026, Fragments I Carried Back, Harare, Zimbabwe.
INVITED TALKS / GUEST LECTURES:
Typographics NYC Festival TypeLab | 2020 & 2023
ATypI (Association Typographique Internationale) Conferences: | Reviving Afrikan Scripts: Designing Belonging Through Indigenous Typographies | 2026
Beckmans College of Design | 2024, 2025
JUDGING PANEL
Type Directors Club (TDC) competitions | Communication Design | 2023
PUBLICATIONS:
2026 | Reviving Afrikan Scripts: Designing Belonging Through Indigenous Typographies | ATypI (Stanford) | 28 May 2026
2025 | One Day About Typography: Research and Materiality in Text (Speaker) — Konstfack — 17 September 2025
2025 | Type Journeys (Preserving heritage through type design talk) — RGD (Canada) — 17 September 2025
2025 | One Day About Typography (speaker / research presentation) — Konstfack
2025 | Reviving Afrikan Scripts: Integrating Indigenous Systems Into Modern Design — ATypI (Association Typographique Internationale) (Copenhagen)
2024 | Madimi One typeface / Google Fonts release feature — Konstfack alumni publication
2024 | Madimi One Google Fonts feature coverage — The Herald (Zimbabwe)
2024 | Madimi One typeface feature — Sunday Mail (Zimbabwe)
2024 | Madimi One / Google Fonts interview feature — The Herald (Zimbabwe)
2023 | Konstfack Degree Exhibition / MA Visual Communication publication — Konstfack
2022 | Type Drives Culture (TDC) Virtual Conference Speaker
2021 — Indigenous Knowledge of the Bantu Symbol Writing — Typographics Conference (New York / online)