General Information

Shona is the name of the largest indigenous native tribe in Zimbabwe, the 斐Shona Tribe斐 started the stone sculpture movement that became known as 斐Shona Sculpture斐. This contemporary art form, started in the mid 1950愀 has become recognised internationally as a major art movement. The worldwide art community were surprised to find exquisite stone sculpture coming from artists that had received no formal training.

The Shona Tribe and their ancestors have lived and died on the land of south eastern Africa for more than 1000 years. The Shona people believe that everything on earth has it愀 own spirit, including the indigenous (soapstone and hardstone) rocks found in their country. They believe that it is this spirit in the stone that speaks to the artist and guides his hands to create a sculpture there by setting the spirit free. Hence the expression 斐The stone speaks to me斐.

Shona people believe there are two forms of spirits. Shave spirits and Vadzimu spirits.

Shave spirits are most often considered to be outside or wandering spirits. They are associated with populations living outside of the Shona territory (neighbouring, Europeans people and even animals).

Vadzimu are their ancestor spirits and represent the Shona愀 way of life. They protect their society but, if the Shona愀 morals and ideals are not respected the spirit may withdraw it愀 protection.

Every sculpture is unique because the artist愀 rarely carve with a pre-conceived idea; they let the stone dictate the form that they can see within it. Hence their ability to read and see a sculpture in the raw stone before they even start a carving.

Throughout the world art collectors, museums, royalty and people generally are drawn to this magnificent hand crafted sculpture commonly known as Shona sculpture. Obviously, it must be the raw talent, natural craftsmanship, the ability to carve hard stone and soapstone in the same way it was carved back in the days of the great artist/sculptor Michael Angelo using very basic tools, hammer and chisel that must be the attraction. This unrestrained talent is brought out in their work, or perhaps a sense of familiarity in the natural shapes and contours of the tactile stone or could it be said 斐The spirit of the stone guides their hands斐 or is its popularity due to its unaffected simplicity and eternal beauty.

Shona sculpture has been described as primitive, abstract, modern, unique and very original.

Artists have their own unique distinctive style and technique of carving the various stones. An artist is capable of showing great creativity in expressing this tactile art form.

At present the majority of the sculptors are still Shona, how ever, there are many artist working in Zimbabwe who are from neighbouring countries e.g. Malawi, Zambia, Angola and Mozambique. This is leading to the art form being referred to as sculpture from southern Africa or sculpture from sub-Sahara Africa and Zimbabwe stone sculpture.

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