From junk to treasure
The Heart of Art
These are the words of Frederic Phiri, a 24 year old scrap metal artist from Mfuwe. Often described as the Junk King, Frederick is growing to be a household name both in Zambia and the world at large. He calls his work ‘The heart of Art’, and believes that his pieces are not only beautiful, but also contribute to environmental awareness.
Recent Artworks
Lets make a impact through art. My art is meant to bring awareness to the problems of my community and show the beauty of my country.
Abstract Artwork
Duconvallis massa ultricies. Nulla viverra rutrum dolor, at varius lectus ultrices id. Mauris ipsum eros, pulvinar eu elit luctus.
My Story
From a young age, Frederick was interested in making art, but economic challenges at home forced him to find work at a very young age. His artistic journey started by making small wire cars, but his passion was realized during a chance encounter while doing a welding job. After realizing that his welding machine could manipulate things into different shapes and forms, he begun making small animals using junk from his community. He had a short apprenticeship with renowned Zambian junk artist Owen Shikabeta, who encouraged him to step outside the box and unlock his imagination to bigger and bolder creations.
‘I go around picking all sorts of junk in my community. I usually get calls to pick up scrap metal from different locations. I feel proud moving around my community, because many children see me and know that I am going to make something extraordinary.’
Exhibitions
Frederick believes that his art has helped people see the beauty in junk and encouraged young people to think twice before getting rid of metal with no regard for the environment.