Rabson Phiri is an upcoming visual artist who works in wood, metal and stone. He was taken under the wing of the late Friday Tembo, one of Zambia’s greatest wood sculptors and founder of an informal school called Ulendo Studios after fixing his bike.

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The relationship blossomed into an apprenticeship. Quickly learning from his mentor, Phiri developed into aver- satile and prolific young artist ahead of his peers. Phiri worked by his mentor’s side as a right hand man from 1998 - 2004. He thereafter, attended Insaka International Artists Workshop in Siavonga, Zambia and in 2008 was invited to Nigeria to attend the “Art is everything” workshop in Abuja. In 2004, he won 2nd prize in the prestigious David Shepherd Wildlife competition. Phiri prefers working in hard-woods such as Ebony that he picks and reclaims when traversing the forests outside Lusaka, often combining the wood with other found objects like metal and bone. His artworks are represented in private and public collections at home and abroad.