By Percy Zvomuya Joseph Ndandarika, who was once described as one of the three greatest living stone sculptors. (Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe) In the act of remembering the Zimbabwean sculptor Lazarus Takawira, who died of Covid-related complications on 12 January, it is impossible not to talk about Frank McEwen, the founding director of…
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…
The Contemporary Stone Sculpture Movement of Zimbabwe and its origin
In Zimbabwe, the Shona people were traditionally known as “the People of the Mist”, since they inhabited the mist-shrouded Inyanga Mountains, from whose stone their descendants have been creating extraordinary sculpture over the past century or so. The Shona are the oldest and also the largest ethnic group in the country, and the legendary guardians…