White Space Gallery Celebrates SHONA African Sculpture

“Hearts in Stone”

New Haven, CT.- White Space Gallery celebrates SHONA African Sculpture February 3 rd -28 th 2009 spotlighting the art of the First Generation SHONA Masters of Zimbabwe. Additionally, the romantic paintings of several local artists will be featured including Karen Green Recor, Jean Alexander Kandalaft, Tanya Wolski-Kazak and Artist in Residence, Denise Parri. An open house reception will take place on Saturday, February 14 th from noon till 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

A product of Zimbabwe’s largest tribe, First Generation SHONA sculpture is less than thirty years old. The artists are influenced by the ancient spiritual beliefs of the Shona tribe, but their work is not directly linked to tribal rituals or culture.

The Shona artisans use basic hand tools-simple hand-made chisels, hammers, rasps and sandpaper to craft their pieces. Some of the stones used are, Verdite, Butter Jade, Kwekwe Fruit Serpentine, and Leopard Stone.

Shona sculpture has been heralded as some of the most important art to emerge from Sub-Saharan Africa in the second half of the 20 th Century.

Here’s what the press says about Shona art:

‘Shona sculpture is perhaps the most important new art form to emerge from Africa in this century’ - Newsweek, New York.

‘Unlike art found in much of the rest of Africa, Shona sculpture…has become a wholly indigenous art form created exclusively as a form of artistic expression’ - New York Times, New York.

‘The world’s best unrecognized sculptors’.-The Economist, London

The Shona, who make up about 80% of Zimbabwe’s population, have an historic relationship with stone that is unique in Sub-Saharan Africa. In fact, the only major stone ruin from antiquity is in Zimbabwe: the word itself means “Big Houses made of Stone” in the Shona language.

In the past ten years, prices as well as interest have soared for both primitive and contemporary African art. Unfortunately many of the Master First Generation Shona Artists have passed away, and the availability of their pieces are becoming increasingly scarce. This show includes some final works. We invite you to come experience this moving example of technique and skill at White Space Gallery.