South American tribes men worked in stone and gold.
Are you sure Africans worked in bronze? It is an area of low interest to me but I thought most of their work was in wood, like ebony, and carving ivory from the native elephants.

African art from a different angle

African art has received a great deal of attention in recent years, with contemporary African art becoming extremely popular, particularly Shona stone artworks.

“Shona sculpture forms part of the permanent collections at The Rodin Museum, Paris; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum of Mankind, London; National Gallery of Zimbabwe; and the Museum of Modern Art, Frankfurt.

Although the Shona not has been exposed to western culture, much of the work of Shona sculptors resembles 20th century contemporary art. In fact, Pablo Picasso, founder of the modernist movement, was an early admirer of Shona sculptures.”

These are all remarkable facts that you can find in “African art articles”.

Sometimes a different angle can tell a different story.

Africa is a gift to the natural world with an unrivalled diversity of life.

We in Africa love the character and texture that can be derived from nature. We develop a relationship with our soil. It is so real and open in a sense that it displays a profound sense of stillness. It is all so unique and honest that it encourages one to touch and feel.

This is the story behind the stone.

Stone is extremely beautiful and appealing with regards to its rich colours and textures.

The outer layer only needs to be chipped away in order to reveal the inner beauty

The carving of hard stones is only possible when the artist has achieved a high degree of rare and exceptional skills, which may only be gained through years of extensive studying.

The story begins with the artist traveling in the countryside in search for powerful stones with a sense of spirit.

African artists have the ability to feel the energy and spirit of the stone.

Sculptors never draw or design any piece beforehand. They believe that the form is already in the piece of stone. The 'revealing’ process may take a few days, weeks or even months, combining their passion and vision with the qualities and characteristics of the stone to produce a superb piece of art.

One of the well known Shona artists, Fanuel Mutemasango, explains:

“Sometimes, by just looking at the stone, I can see the sculpture taking shape, like the clouds moving".

The majority of sculptors do not use power tools of any kind but rely instead on hammers, chisels, rasps and various grades of wet and dry sandpaper. After carving the rough shape of the creation, the sculptor uses a file to smoothen the stone.

Once the piece is sanded to the artists’ satisfaction, they will then heat up the sculpture with either a wood fire or a propane blowtorch. Once the sculpture is hot, they then apply a clear wax such as Beeswax floor polish. As the stone cools, it absorbs the wax through the surface, seals the stone and gives it a clear waterproof finish that brings out the natural colour of the stone. There is no artificial colouring used whatsoever.

Heating and waxing the sculpture is an essential part of the process. This gives the stone a beautiful shine, which in turn brings out its natural colours and features. Once the stone has cooled, the sculptor makes use of a soft-cloth for buffing in order to bring out the shine.

Every piece has its own unique story to tell, portraying thoughts on aspects of life, such as family, emotions, the soul and one’s self.

And now the story behind the stone sculpture will start.

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