3019
$1,500.00 USD
The heart of Africa can be found in our stone sculptures.
HAND CRAFTED STONE SCULPTURE BY SHONA ARTISTS.
When you buy a Moyo piece, you are not just buying stone, but your own piece of history, a piece of modern contemporary art with an African flair.
Shona Stone Sculpture
Stone: Spring stone
Dimensions: 42 x 12 x 10 inches
was born in 1974 in Mvurwi. He is the youngest of four children. Jonathan is married to Faith and together they have three children, two boys, and a girl. Jonathan started sculpting with stone at the very young age of 10. He loved creating art so much that in 1989, when his friend, Square Chikwanda invited him to the Tengenenge Sculpture Village, he promptly agreed and spent the next six months at Tengenenge learning basic sculpting skills. Jonathan then moved to Harare, where he met the master first-generation sculptor, Joseph Ndandarika. The late Ndandarika was widely regarded as one of the greatest sculpting talents Zimbabwe has ever known and Jonathan considered it a privilege to be able to work with him. By 1997, Jonathan had established himself as a household name in the sculpting industry. He was invited to join the artist residence program at the prestigious Chapungu Sculpture Park. His sculptures are often inspired by his family.
Every sculpture is made from natural stone and varies slightly due to the nature of the stone and natural grain which is part of the stone. Some stones will contain inclusions, pits, or fissures as a result of its geological formation. The natural recurring iron/seaweed strata lines in the stone give the stone its character and makes it unique.
Natural lines are colorful lines formed within the stone. These are not flaws, but rather signifies the authenticity of the product. Only skilled sculptors are able to work with the stone due its hardness. The stone can withstands harsh weather conditions and can be placed in a natural environment.
NOTE: Typically your sculpture will ship within 2-3 days after you've placed your order.
The most dedicated of artists display a high degree of integrity, never copying and still working entirely by hand, with spontaneity and a confidence in their skills, unrestricted by externally imposed ideas of what their "art" should be. Now, over fifty years on from the first tentative steps towards a new sculptural tradition, many Zimbabwean artists make their living from full-time sculpting and the very best can stand comparison with contemporary sculptors anywhere else.
The sculpture they produce speaks of fundamental human experiences - experiences such as grief, elation, humor, anxiety, and spiritual search - and has always managed to communicate these in a profoundly simple and direct way that is both rare and extremely refreshing.
The artist 'works' together with his stone, and it is believed that 'nothing which exists naturally is inanimate' - it has a spirit and life of its own. One is always aware of the stone's contribution in the finished sculpture and it is indeed fortunate that in Zimbabwe a magnificent range of stones are available from which to choose: hard black springstone, richly colored serpentine and soapstones, firm grey limestone and semi-precious Verdite and Lepidolite.
Read More