What is shona sculpture? Where does shona sculpture come from? Well, shona sculpture belongs to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. So, before talking about shona sculpture, we should first see who the Shona people are. The Shona people are the largest tribe in Zimbabwe, about 70% of the countryís population. The culture of the Shona is full of religious and spiritual beliefs and customs.

 

Although they believe in a Supreme Bewing, the Shonaí traditions also revolve around spirit mediums ñ vadzimu, a deceased but good ancestor who protects them acting as an intermediary between the people and their God ñ Mwari. The Shonas also believe that animals and birds, as well as plants and stone have a spirit. As the Shona s have worked and lived with stone, it is obvious that their artistic or religious expressions could not have taken shape but in stone. Therefore shona sculpture, whether it is religious or simply artistic, is mainly made with/in stone.

Although there are examples of shona sculpture pieces that are as old as about 1000 years, still shona sculpture is more a modern time form of art. The shona sculpture as a form of art was reborn in the late 1950ís and the early 1960ís. Art for the sake of art in the Shonaís traditions was not a familiar concept until then. The shona sculpture as well as other forms of art were encouraged by a number of people among which should be mentioned the pioneers 

Canon Edward Paterson of the Cyrene Mission, Father John Groeber of the Serima Mission, Joram Mariga at Nyanga, Frank McEwen of the National Gallery, and Tom Blomefield of Tengenenge. As a result of the work of these people and others too, todayís shona sculpture community is the largest community of stone sculptors in the world. Evidently, the development of the shona sculpture did not happen just like this; there were no formal schools to teach stone sculpture. At first an informal master/apprentice system appeared and developed gradually. 

The first major international shona sculpture exhibitions were held in the 1970ís. Nowadays shona sculpture undergoes a reorganization process on the international stage. As a well-known art critic from London noticed a few years ago, ìfive out of ten best stone sculptors in the world were from Zimbabwe.î The international recognition of the value of the shona sculpture has brought about many benefits to the Shonas. The artists have the opportunity to travel and study abroad and also have their own exhibitions abroad. Besides becoming known to the world through the shona sculpture, the Shona people made their traditions and beliefs known to the world and also had a certain influence in the sculpting craft.

Posted by Phillipe / Home Sculptures