The Zimbabwe Bird: A Symbol of History and Identity

The Zimbabwe Bird, also known as the Hungwe or Chapungu, is a national emblem of Zimbabwe, appearing on the country’s flag, coat of arms, banknotes, and various institutions. Its history stretches back centuries, intricately woven with the rise and fall of ancient Zimbabwean civilizations and evolving interpretations of its meaning. Origins in Great Zimbabwe: The…

Open Call for artists to exhibit at our Victoria Falls Gallery

This is an invitation for artists to display their artworks at our Victoria Falls International Airport Outdoor Gallery. AVAC Arts was registered in 2003 as one of the first online art galleries in Zimbabwe. The gallery eventually opened in Victoria Falls on 1 January 2023. There is room for new artists and artworks to be…

Introducing Cynthia Joseph, a resident artist at the AVAC Arts Victoria Falls International Airport Art Gallery

Her name is Cynthia Joseph. At 23 years old she is one of the youngest stone sculptors in Zimbabwe. She says she was challenged by the fact that stone sculpting is a male dominated industry and she wants to change the status quo and become an inspiration to other female artists to try out stone…

European Union supports Zimbabwe culture month as it launches Sculpture Competition

By Elvis Dumba The European Union continues to support the Zimbabwean arts and culture sector with the EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Jobst Von Kirchman launching a sculpturing competition as part of the ongoing Culture Month celebrations. The Competition is part of World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development celebrated globally on May 21…

In praise of African art: How Shona sculpting emerged

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…

Transform Africa Summit 2023 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Had fun last week at the Transform Africa Summit 2023 held in VIctoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Congradulations to all the 7 Ms Geeks who got prices. Zimbawe surely was represented amongst the winners. Well done to all of the participants and to those who won. The future of African development in this technology era lies in…

The Art & tourism situation in Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls

The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected many lives that were being sustained by the inflow of international tourists visiting Zimbabwe. One of the tourist havens of note in Zimbabwe is the Majestic Victoria Falls rain forest. The Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world due to it being the largest…

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…

Culture Fund, EU unveil culture grants

BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI THE Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust has called for project proposals from players in the arts and culture industry following funding by the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe to the tune of ₧300 000 to strengthen the capacity of artists. Culture Fund projects officer Simbarashe Mudhokwani said the initiative, dubbed Creative Actions…

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…

Zimbabwe sculptor’s fame written in stone, worldwide

By Nelson Banya Harare — When Dominic Benhura started creating traditional Zimbabwean stone sculptures as a teenager four decades ago, he never imagined that art would bring him fame or fortune. Born to a poor family in Murewa, 90km northeast of Harare, Benhura is now a globally acclaimed artist and a leading proponent of the…

New Sculptures from the Chitungwiza Sculptor Community

For the month of March we are going to be uploading artworks from the Chitungwiza Arts community. We decided to focus more on larger and very unique sculptures from the centre. The guys are doing some very good work there. For a minute you actually forget all about whats happening around the world with the…

Gomo the most important Sculptor in Zimbabwe: US Ambassador

The U.S. Embassy Harare ambassador, Brian A. Nichols heaped praises on contemporary sculptor Gideon Gomo calling him the most important sculptor in Zimbabwe. Speaking at the official opening of Nhungo, Gomo’s solo exhibition at Village Unhu on Thursday, Ambassador Nichols said Gomo is creating art that is really speaking to the moment in Zimbabwe and he is…

Jay Z falls in love with Zimbabwean Art

Hip Hop mogul Sean Carter popularly known as JAY-Z recently purchased an art piece titled “Tengwe farms” by acclaimed contemporary visual artist Moffat Takadiwa. Yesterday’s edition of The New York Times posted a picture of the Hip Hop mogul standing in front of the art piece at his Roc Nation offices in Los Angeles. Zimbabwean art is highly sought…

Tom Blomefield was a crook: Sylvester Mubayi

Sylvester Mubayi is one of the remaining First Generation of Zimbabwe Shona Stone Sculptors still living. We caught up with him at his studio in Chitungwiza where he shared with us his art journey which began as a serendipitous encounter with the maverick art promoter Tom Bloomfield in the streets of the former Salisbury (Harare).…

Zimbabwe sculpture artist bullish on growth of Chinese market

by Gretinah Machingura, Zhang Yuliang HARARE, — Despite obtaining a motor mechanics diploma at a private college in Harare, Tendekai Tigere Tandi finds himself surviving on stone sculpting, something that he started as a hobby while in his pre-school age. Tandi is one of Zimbabwe’s self-taught, third-generation stone sculptors at Chitungwiza Arts Center, and he…

Shona Sculpture highly valued beyond Zimbabwe

By Kumbirai Tarusarira In recent decades Zimbabwe has become globally recognised for its arts and sculpture and it is one of the African countries that stands firm in appreciating its culture. Shona sculpture has become world famous, having first emerged in the 1940s. The most common subjects of carved figures include stylised birds and human…

Carl Joshua Ncube to feature at the International Festival of the Bright Minds in Pueblo, Mexico

BY PRECIOUS CHIDA TOP stand-up comedian Carl Joshua Ncube says there is more to Zimbabwe than President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa who tend to dominate news headlines about the country. The jester who has since branded himself as a professional speaker told NewsDay Life & Style on Friday, ahead of a trip…

Martin Matimura: Gardener turned Sculptor

Martin Matimura is a bundle of energy and full of confidence. His story, a true from rags to riches type of tale. Martin chronicles how he started of as a gardner for Lameck Bonjisi, becoming his assistant and finally his manager and confidant. With the death of Lameck Bonjisi, Martin decided to become his own man…

Festival set to bring spark to showbiz

BY WINSTONE ANTONIO A NEW international festival of dance, Mafuwe, is set to light up the showbiz scene from August 16 to 18 in Harare, at a time a lot of festivals are folding due to the economic meltdown. The festival, to be held under the theme Invisible Boundaries, is the brain child of Germany-based…