By Timothy Akuda The internationally recognised sculpture movement has to date lost 90 percent of its founding members. The movement which was started in the 1960s still stands strong and shows no signs of dying. To date we have lost crucial members like Nicholas Mukomberanwa, Bernard Matemera, Crispen Chakanyuka, Claud Nyanhongo, Fanizani Akuda, Albert Nathan…
Legends of sculpture still standing
How to clean and restore a Zimbabwe Shona stone sculpture
Zimbabwe stone sculptures are made from natural stone that is usually polished with floor wax to make it shine. With continuous exposure to weather elements, the shine fades over time. This video is a simple guide on how to clean and restore a stone sculpture. Instead of heating the sculpture (after cleaning it with water…
Lazarus Takawira – The End of a Legacy
Timothy AkudaThe legacy of the Takawira brothers, John, Bernard and Lazarus made immense contributions to the Zimbabwe Sculpture movement. Unfortunately with the death of the only remaining brother Lazarus that legacy in life comes to an end. However the legacy will continue to be celebrated in their stone sculptures as much as it will be…
Sculptors carve online to survive
Travel restrictions in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic has left sculptors struggling for markets. This is largely because their products are brought mostly by tourists and art enthusiasts who travel from different countries, especially in Europe. The pandemic saw airlines being grounded, most tourism destinations closing down, while art centers were barely operational.…
Happy New Year
It’s a new year and a new beginning. It`s that time of the year when you leave behind your previous year’s troubles and challenges, and embrace the new energy. It`s time to reset and refocus. Although it`s a new year with new promises, technically speaking nothing has changed except the date on the calendar. A…
The History of Contemporary Stone Sculpture in Zimbabwe
[ All images © Chapungu Sculpture Park, harare, and may be used freely for any educational or scholarly purpose. All other uses require prior written permission.] By George P. Landow, Professor of English and Art History, Brown University Divergent Sources: The sculpture of contemporary Zimbabwe, which has achieved such reknown in Europe, America, and Australia, has…
Exclusive Covid-19 Sculpture Deal
Zimbabwean sculptors and players in the tourism sector have been amongst the hardest hit by the COVID-19 global pandemic. This is so because most of their clients were international clients. Victoria Falls as an example has basically turned into a ghost town living thousands unemployed. The Zimbabwean government has failed to cover sculptors in their…
Introducing Johnson Mugabe
Johnson Mugabe is an emerging Zimbabwean self taught paper collage artist based in Harare where he works from his home studio. He started drawing at an early age but never considered himself an artist up until he was in his early twenties when he stumbled upon paper collage art and fell in love with…
Artists and creativity beyond the crisis in Zimbabwe
Imagine a world without music to comfort, uplift, inspire and give you hope! A world without drama, film, paintings or sculptures to extend your imagination! No poetry to ask the difficult questions! No literature and no craft! As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, there is need to spare a thought for the artists.…
African Ambassadors Endorse Museum Of African Liberation
By Makanaka Masenyama Th Museum of African Liberation project spearheaded by emerging pan-African think tank, Institute of African Knowledge (INSTAK) has been endorsed by most African states. Ambassadors from several African countries, UNESCO, Russia and senior Zimbabwe government officials attended the endorsement meeting in Harare. The meeting was held under the theme: ‘Rekindling the Spirit…
