$600.00 USD
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3033
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.
Spirit of Three by Godfrey Kututwa
Stone: Spring Stone
Dimensions: 23 x 14 x 11 inches
The sculpture depicts three spirits inhabiting one body. The upper body of the sculpture resembles an animal while the lower body is that of a human face with opposing facial profiles, half the face being blind and the other with vision. In Shona culture, a personÕs being is authenticated by existence of three identities spirits: the self sighted half of the face, the departed ancestor the blind half and the Mutupo totem represented by an animal or a body part of an animal. In any traditional ceremony these three identities are established before any proceedings take place. The artist sums up the Òthree in oneÓ cultural identities of the Shona people and presents its facets in one representative masterpiece, he calls The spirit of Three.
Godfrey was born in 1967 in Honde Valley in Zimbabwe. Though physically incapacitated, he did not allow his physical impermanent to derail and rob him of his dream or limit him in any way. Unable to speak and almost completely deaf, he started sculpting at the age of 21 as a direct result of encouragement from Claud Nyanhongo, one of ZimbabweÕs leading artists whose sons and daughters are also artists.
For several years Claud stayed with Godfrey in Chitungwiza and mentored him. Since 1996, he has been working independently in his own studio and has since found his own style as he feeds the language of nature into his sculptures, focusing on nature and the human form, coming out with powerful and expressive sculptures.
SPECIAL SHIPPING INFORMATION:
NOTE: Typically, your sculpture will ship within 3-5 days after you've placed your order. All sculptures in the store are available in the USA and are shipped from our warehouse in Webster, Texas.
NOTE: If your sculpture is heavy, we will ship this item by freight and will require additional information for freight price depending on the destination. We will contact you within 24 hours to get an exact quote for shipping services.
A freighted package includes a liftgate charge of $150 because the package will be too heavy to get off the truck and into your house.
Each large sculpture will have the note - see special shipping next to the number of the sculpture.
LARGE ORDERS:
IF YOU HAVE ORDERED MORE THAN ONE SCULPTURE, WE MIGHT HAVE TO ADJUST YOUR SHIPPING COSTS. (CHECK OUR FAQS) WE WILL CONTACT YOU BEFORE WE CHANGE YOUR ORDER.
We package each sculpture and ship them separately. It is best to order each sculpture one at a time to determine the shipping cost.
For each shipment, we make sure you get the best shipping prices we can obtain from our shipping carriers. If you have overpaid, we will refund the savings!
We ensure your one-of-a-kind sculptures will arrive safely and intact. We ship each sculpture individually.
If you have a question about the shipping costs, please ask for a shipping quote.
ABOUT THE STONE FROM ZIMBABWE
Only skilled sculptors are able to work with the stone due its hardness.
Every sculpture is made from natural stone and varies slightly due to the nature of the stone and the natural grain which is part of the stone. Some stones will contain inclusions, pits, or fissures because of their 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 signify the authenticity of the product. Only skilled sculptors can work with the stone due to its hardness. The stone can withstands harsh weather conditions and can be placed in a natural environment, for example a garden.
WHAT ARE SHONA SCULPTURES?
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.