Shona Sculpture at Showcase

Ball heads x3 by Mike Munyaradzi.Courtesy of Showcase Gallery.

In Africa, shona sculpture is a popular form of art, mostly because the viewer can interpret it to mean anything at all. It is created by carving stone into a desired shape or form, and Shona is the name of the group of people in Zimbabwe who have been shaping rock for almost 1000 years.

The first generation of shona sculptures appeared during the 1950s and 1960s. Their works were primarily philosophical. However, they went somewhat under the radar, being overshadowed by other large art movements happening in America and Europe. At home too, the sculptures were destroyed by disruptions from civil wars and domestic unrest.

However, the second generation of shona artist had more success. Their pieces were more emotive than their predecessors and several of them are currently on display in Showcase Gallery in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai.

One of the major contributors to the Showcase exhibition is Dominic Benhura, whose creations were featured in the UNICEF 2014 calendar. Benhura likes to use the topic of children & family in his work, and he captures the movement and life of these subjects flawlessly. When looking at his sculptures, you can almost feel the robust relationship of a child and their parent through his carvings.

Royal Katiyo has also plays a significant part in the exhibition. He started creating shona sculptures as a young schoolboy, and was apprenticed by famous artist Luke Mugavazi. His work consists mostly of quails in different stones, the most common stone used being springstone, and occasionally verdite stone, which is also known as ‘Africa’s green gold’. It even appears to be many different types of rock put together at first glance at the intricate patterns, however it is simply Katiyo treating the material using multiple methods. The rich colour of the green verdite, or the treated surfaces of springstone give depth and individuality to each creation.

Richard Matemera’s work is slightly different when compared to that of Katiyo and Benhura. Matemera’s style revolved around realistic-looking human and animal figures, sometimes even blending the two together. Although he is considered a master sculptor in the world of shona sculpting, carving stone was not always his interest — as a child he reportedly preferred to play with clay and wood. Although he died in 2006, his work is timeless and commands the audience’s attention. The structures are smooth, precise, and polished. Even after the viewer has moved away the pieces stay with them, because his specific combinations of animals and humans are elegantly captured to a high standard.

All shona sculpture displayed at Showcase Gallery are one-of-a-kind, and these artists are only some of the ones exhibited there. To see them all head down to Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz, Dubai.

* For more info visit www.showcaseuae.com

* Aleena Jan Khan is a high-school student based in Dubai aspiring for a career in journalism.