Contemporary Shona sculpture movement of Zimbabwe
Tempo de leitura 4 min
Appearing in the mid-1950s in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), contemporary Shona sculpture, named after Zimbabwe's main ethnic group, is an artistic movement unique in the way it was formed, in its longevity and vitality.
The purpose of this article is to make a brief presentation of this movement, with some illustrations by way of example.
My shadow (springstone) - Michael Nyakusvora
The emergence of an artistic movement
The emergence of this movement is largely due to the impetus of an English artist, Frank McEwen, who in 1957 was appointed curator of the National Gallery in Salisbury (now Harare) and who created a stone sculpture workshop within the museum. He recruited, trained and encouraged the first generation of sculptors. The school-workshop quickly developed into a community of artists. For a long time confidential, this art has gradually imposed itself on the international scene through numerous exhibitions. The support of patrons and collectors has contributed to the recognition of this movement and its sustainability.
Beauty (butter jade) - Zachariah Njobo
The creative process
The Zimbabwean sculptor works the stone in direct carving. The artist does not make a preparatory drawing. He is guided by his imagination as well as the shape, color and texture of the block of stone. He uses the traditional tools of the sculptor: hammer, chisel, grater...
The size of the sculptures ranges from 20 cm to more than two meters.
The finishing of a work is carried out with sandpaper of an increasingly fine grain. At the end of the work, the sculpture is heated in the sun or another means, and a colorless wax is applied. The wax is absorbed by the pores and the microfissures of the stone dilated by the heat and reveals the color. The wax is applied, at the artist's choice, to the polished, raw or semi-worked parts, which allows him to play with contrasts. After cooling, a final polishing is carried out.
All the colors of the works are the natural colors of the stone.
Friendly (springstone) - Ernest Ngoshi
Stone
The stone is extracted from mines located in Zimbabwe. The most commonly used stone is serpentine which comes in varieties of different colors and hardnesses. Here are a few :
Black serpentine: Black and very hard variety of serpentine. It allows a fine and shiny polishing. It is highly sought after due to its hardness and durability.
Springstone: The serpentine most used by Zimbabwean carvers. It is a very hard stone, with a dense and uniform structure, with fine grains, available in large blocks, shiny after polishing because of its density and resistant to cold. The works can be exhibited outdoors, even in temperate climates.
Opal stone: Serpentine with green reflections.
Leaf head (opal stone) - Tendaï Gatsi
Semi-precious stones are also used:
Leopardite: Very hard stone. Owes its name to black spots on a pale background.
Frog (léopardite) - Matteuw Zvondaï
And also: butter jade, marble, red jasper, lepidolite, etc ...
Where to get Shona carvings?
You will find a multitude of offers on the internet, but it is difficult to distinguish what is serious from what is not. In France, there are very few specialists. I will mention Serpentine Galerie in Provence, whose advice, artistic choices and reasonable prices I appreciate.
As always with works of art, you should not buy an artist's reputation, nor the hope of a capital gain. Reputations are made by others besides you for reasons that belong to them. Don't be intimidated. Buy what makes you happy and what suits you. It will cost you less and it will bring you more satisfaction.
- Great caution should be observed on catch-all sites for the resale of all kinds of objects.
- There are fake sculptures on the market. The scam consists in imitating the works of famous artists and selling them as if they were from the hand of the real sculptor. This mainly concerns first-generation artists whose works fetch high prices on the international market. So beware when you are in the presence of too good a deal. Require all the elements that make it possible to trace the origin of the work.
Wise man (springstone) - Cephas Mashaya
Conclusion
Beyond their aesthetics and the technical virtuosity they require of their creators, the stones of Zimbabwe, transformed and transcended by the eye and the hand of brilliant artists, above all embody universal and timeless values drawn from the imagination, history and traditions of the Shona people: spirituality, family, nature, respect for ancestors, social values...
They carry meaning.
Thank you for spending a few minutes reading this introductory article on contemporary Shona carving. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
Daniel R, collector
