Sculptures ~ History ~ Artists ~ Shuttle

The Chicago Botanic Garden and Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance celebrate the connections between nature, culture and art with a major exhibition of 90 contemporary African sculptures, Chapungu: Custom & Legend, A Culture in Stone, from May 31 to October 31. Chapungu is the Shona name for an eagle of great presence, a messenger of the gods that symbolizes a protective spirit.

Sculptures

Chapungu sculptures, handmade of native Zimbabwe stone, speak of the richness of contemporary African art and culture. These tactile, evocative sculptures are inspired by deep spiritual roots and a strong connection with the natural world.

Ninety major sculptures in Chicago for the first time.
Heights range from 3 to 11 feet.
Weights are between 600 and 6,000 pounds.
Groupings are in eight themes.
Sculptures are displayed in natural settings outdoors and indoors.
Materials are serpentine, verdite, opal, cobalt, springstone and other native stone.
Color varies from shades of yellow, brown and red to green and gray.

The largest exhibit ever to travel, the Chicago exhibit contains sculptures that have never before been on exhibit. In addition, the exhibition of large works from the permanent collection is accompanied by smaller works available for purchase.

"Over and over again, people say this exhibition has changed them."

–Roy Guthrie, Director and Founder of Chapungu Sculpture Park

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History

The Chapungu exhibition from Zimbabwe traces its roots to the early work of Frank McEwen in what was then Rhodesia. In 1954, Frank McEwen, who had organized exhibitions of famous artists, became director of the new National Gallery, where he set up a workshop school based on his belief that art emanated from the creative impulse within.

Since 1962, sculptures by Shona artists of Zimbabwe have toured internationally. In 1971, through an exhibition at the Musée Rodin in Paris, the sculpture was discovered by the established art world. The next year, major shows followed at I.C.A. Gallery in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Also in 1972, a working art community was established in Vukutu.

As international recognition grew, in 1970 founding director Roy Guthrie established the Chapungu Sculpture Park near Harare to support about 20 select artists each year. Since the transition to Zimbabwe independence in 1980, exhibitions have been held at the major museums, sculpture parks and botanic gardens of Europe, including Stockholm’s Millesgarden Museum, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Chapungu is coming to Chicago from Red Butte Gardens in Salt Lake City.

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Artists

Described as the finest stone carvers of this era, Zimbabwe artists work with hand tools to interpret what they see as the "spirit of the stone." Major talents who have worked with Chapungu Sculpture Park include Henry Munyaradzi, John Takawira, Nicholas Mukomberanwa, Boira Mteki, Sylvester Mubayi, Joseph Ndandarika, Joram Mariga, Bernard Matemera, Lemon Moses, Josiah Manzi, Wazi Maicolo, Amali Malola and Bernard Takawira.

Zimbabwean sculptors not only possess impressive technical skill but also are able to communicate their respect for their natural materials and enduring truths about the natural and spiritual worlds that influence their work. This summer at both the Chicago Botanic Garden and Chicago Park District’s Garfield Park Conservatory, several Chapungu artists will be teaching stone carving workshops, leading tours and creating public artwork.

"This is sculpture of world quality and interest–deeply human, spirited in every sense and superbly skilled." –Sunday London Telegraph

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