Tengenenge

Last updated

Tengenenge
Village
Tengenenge sculptures.jpg
Zimbabwe adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Tengenenge
Tengenenge in Zimbabwe
Coordinates: 16°43′51″S30°56′39″E / 16.73083°S 30.94417°E / -16.73083; 30.94417
Country Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe
Province Mashonaland Central
District Guruve
Population
 • Estimate 
(2017) [1]
450
Time zone UTC+2 (CAT)
Website www.tengenengeartcommunity.com
Henry Munyaradzi working with serpentine stone from Tengenenge Henry Munyaradzi.jpg
Henry Munyaradzi working with serpentine stone from Tengenenge
1973 carving of an eagle by Bernard Matemera PC - 7300 - 0014, Matemere Bernard, Eagle, 1973.jpg
1973 carving of an eagle by Bernard Matemera

Tengenenge is a community of artists and their families located in the Guruve District of Zimbabwe. It has achieved international recognition because of the large number of sculptors who have lived and worked there since 1966. These include Fanizani Akuda, Bernard Matemera, Sylvester Mubayi, Henry Munyaradzi and Bernard Takawira. [2]

Contents

Establishment of the sculpture community

Tom Blomefield in 2012 Tom Blomefield.jpg
Tom Blomefield in 2012

The Tengenenge Sculpture Community was established by Tom Blomefield in 1966. He owned what had originally been a tobacco farm and chromium mine but found that it was by then uneconomic owing to the international sanctions against Rhodesia's white government led by Ian Smith, who had declared Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965. Blomefield wrote that he sought an alternative source of income for his workforce, which materialized when the sculptor Crispen Chakanyuka visited and pointed out that the farm contained an outcrop of hard serpentine stone (part of the Great Dyke) which Blomfield obtained the rights to mine to use for sculpture. Appropriately, Tengenenge means "The Beginning of the Beginning" in the local Korekore dialect of the Shona language. [3] The works from the "first generation" of sculptors at Tengenenge joined those which had been created by others who worked at the National Gallery of Rhodesia in Salisbury, where the then director, Frank McEwen organized exhibitions both nationally and internationally. This created a group of artists whose output was sought after by collectors and which made the names of many, including Fanizani Akuda, Amali Malola, Bernard Matemera, Leman Moses, Sylvester Mubayi, Henry Munyaradzi and Bernard Takawira who had spent time at Tengenenge. [2] [4] McEwen and Blomefield diverged in their opinion about how the growing local sculpture movement should evolve. Blomefield encouraged many individual artists from a number of countries including Angola, Malawi and Mozambique to join the local community of mainly Shona ethnicity and was unconcerned whether they had formal training. McEwen had a narrower vision and set up a workshop school at the National Gallery to train those he favoured. Tensions between the two grew until McEwen was deported from Rhodesia by the white minority government in 1973, ironically for "daring to empower blacks". [5]

Later developments

Biriyo Fernando holding an elephant sculpture in 2017 Biriyo Fernando 2017.jpg
Biriyo Fernando holding an elephant sculpture in 2017
Sculpture by Rumbidzai Gomo Rumbidzai Gomo sculpture.jpg
Sculpture by Rumbidzai Gomo

In 1973, Blomefield sold his farm and moved to Harare, although the community at Tengenenge continued to produce sculptures. By 1979 the countryside there was occupied by those fighting for independence in the guerilla war and most of the artists had gone. In December 1979 the Lancaster House Agreement was signed allowing the country to achieve internationally recognised independence in 1980. The artists' community slowly re-formed especially after Blomefield returned in 1985, which encouraged others to do the same. In 1989, the accessibility for visitors to Tengenenge improved with the opening of a tar road and in that year a number of international exhibitions of the sculptors' work were organised, including one in Europe: Beelden op de Berg in Wageningen, the Netherlands. [2] In 1998, a video about Tengenenge was produced which led a reviewer to comment [6] that

"Tengenenge's strongest feature is the honesty with which it faces the controversial issue of the quality of the work made at the site. This point of contention is by no means limited to that community, but it is particularly extreme because of the large number of people who work there."

By 2000, up to 300 artists had lived at Tengenenge at various times but some visitors were critical of the insanitary conditions and lack of education for workers' children. [5] Others, including Celia Winter-Irving, who had spent several months living at Tengenenge and wrote extensively about the sculpture and the artists was much more supportive, believing [2] that

"[Blomefield]'s mentorship had little sense of the paternalism of white supremacy....nor has he imposed his European way of life and its values upon the artists."

Blomefield continued in his role as director of Tengenenge until 2007, when he was succeeded by Dominic Benhura who is also a well-known sculptor. [7] In 2011, a management team of five artists was formed. [8] Other artists who have worked at Tengenenge include Square Chikwanda, Sanwell Chirume, Edward Chiwawa, Barankinya Gosta, Makina Kameya and Jonathan Mhondorohuma.

Tom Blomefield died on 8 April 2020, aged 95, in the Netherlands; his ashes were buried at Tengenenge on 6 December 2020. [9] [10]

Current status

Although art sales sustained over 1200 community members at the height of Tengenenge's success, by 2020 Zimbabwe's lengthy economic hardship had taken its toll. The tourist industry had virtually collapsed and new opportunities were scarce. [1] [11] [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chapungu Sculpture Park</span> Cultural landmark and sculpture garden in Msasa, Harare, Zimbabwe

The Chapungu Sculpture Park is a renowned cultural landmark and sculpture garden in Msasa, Harare, Zimbabwe, which displays the work of Zimbabwean stone sculptors. Spanning over 15 acres of landscaped gardens, the park is dedicated to showcasing the rich heritage of African stone sculpture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominic Benhura</span> Zimbabwean sculptor

Dominic Benhura is a Zimbabwean sculptor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tapfuma Gutsa</span> Zimbabwean sculptor (born 1956)

Tapfuma Gutsa is a Zimbabwean sculptor.

Nicholas Mukomberanwa, was a Zimbabwean sculptor and art teacher. He was among the most famous protégés of the Workshop School at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. He was a mentor to the Mukomberanwa Family of sculptors. Mukomberanwa married his first wife, sculptor Grace, in 1965 and they had eight children. In 1965, he decided to end his career with the police to become a sculptor full-time. He continued to hone his skills over the following decade, developing one of the most distinctive personal styles found in his generation of Zimbabwean stone sculptors. The gambit paid off, and by the late 1970s and in the 1980s his work was being shown in many venues. His work has been exhibited in galleries around the world. He also became mentor to many artists in Zimbabwe, including his children Anderson Mukomberanwa, Ennica Mukomberanwa, Lawrence Mukomberanwa, Netsai Mukomberanwa, Taguma Mukomberanwa,Tendai Mukomberanwa and nephew, Nesbert Mukomberanwa who are also sculptors. He remains one of Zimbabwe's most famous artists.

Bernard Matemera was a Zimbabwean sculptor. The sculptural movement of which he was part is usually referred to as "Shona sculpture", although some of its recognised members are not ethnically Shona. His whole professional career was spent at the Tengenenge Sculpture Community, 150 km north of Harare near Guruve.

Boira Mteki, was a Zimbabwean sculptor and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joram Mariga</span>

Joram Mariga has been called the “Father of Zimbabwean Sculpture” because of his influence on the local artistic community starting in the 1950s and continuing until his death in 2000. The sculptural movement of which he was part is usually referred to as “Shona sculpture”, although some of its recognised members are not ethnically Shona.

John Takawira, was a Zimbabwean sculptor. The background to the sculptural movement of which he was a leading member is given in the article on Shona art.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Munyaradzi</span> Zimbabwean sculptor

Henry Munyaradzi, also known as Henry Munyaradzi Mudzengerere, was a Zimbabwean sculptor. The sculptural movement of which he was part is usually referred to as "Shona sculpture", although some of its recognised members are not ethnically Shona. He worked initially at the Tengenenge Sculpture Community, 150 km north of Harare near Guruve, which he joined in 1967. In that Community, and ultimately in the wider world of lovers of Zimbabwean art, he was known simply as 'Henry'.

Square Chikwanda is a Zimbabwean sculptor, living and working in Harare, Zimbabwe. He first learned his art from his father, also a Zimbabwean sculptor.

Joseph Ndandarika was a Zimbabwean sculptor known for his figurative works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Madamombe</span> Zimbabwean sculptor (1964–2009)

Colleen Madamombe (1964–2009) was a Zimbabwean sculptor working primarily in stone. Her work expresses themes of womanhood, motherhood, and tribal Matriarchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fanizani Akuda</span> Zimbabwean sculptor

Fanizani Akuda (1932–2011), also known as Fanizani Phiri, was a Zimbabwean sculptor. He was a member of the sculptural movement "Shona sculpture", although he and some others of its recognised members were not ethnically Shona. He worked initially at the Tengenenge Sculpture Community, 150 km north of Harare near Guruve, which he joined in 1966.

Crispen Chakanyuka was a Zimbabwean sculptor.

Bernard Takawira (1948–1997) was a Zimbabwean sculptor, the younger brother of John Takawira and older brother of Lazarus Takawira.

Sylvester Mubayi was a Zimbabwean sculptor.

Zimbabwean art includes decorative esthetics applied to many aspects of life, including art objects as such, utilitarian objects, objects used in religion, warfare, in propaganda, and in many other spheres. Within this broad arena, Zimbabwe has several identifiable categories of art. It is a hallmark of African cultures in general that art touches many aspects of life, and most tribes have a vigorous and often recognisable canon of styles and a great range of art-worked objects. These can include masks, drums, textile decoration, beadwork, carving, sculpture, ceramic in various forms, housing and the person themselves. Decoration of the body in permanent ways such as scarification or tattoo or impermanently as in painting the body for a ceremony is a common feature of African cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sculpture of Zimbabwe</span> Three-dimensional stone artwork made in Zimbabwe

Sculpture and in particular stone sculpture is an art for which Zimbabwe is well known around the world.

Celia Winter-Irving, was an Australian-born, Zimbabwean-based artist and art critic who wrote extensively on Zimbabwean art, especially Shona sculpture, when she lived in Harare from 1987 to 2008.

References

  1. 1 2 Nyavaya, Kennedy (5 March 2017). "How Tengenenge Arts Centre lost its shimmer". The Standard. Harare. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Winter-Irving, Celia (1995). Stone Sculpture in Zimbabwe. Roblaw Publishers. p. 210. ISBN   0908309147.
  3. ↑ Tom Blomefield, in the foreword to the catalogue (1993) for the exhibition "Talking Stones II"; ed. Prichard N, Eton, Berkshire (no ISBN)
  4. ↑ Leyten, H (1994). Tengenenge. Kasteel Groenveld, Baarn, Netherlands. ISBN   9074281052.
  5. 1 2 Monda, Tony (23 March 2016). "Truth about Tengenenge: Part Two.…the village Bloemfield wanted to keep in the Dark Ages". The Patriot. Harare. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  6. ↑ Zilberg, Jonathan (2001). "Tengenenge". African Arts. 34 (3): 79. doi:10.2307/3337882. JSTOR   3337882.
  7. ↑ "Tengenenge Sculpture Village". ZimFieldGuide. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  8. ↑ "Tengenenge Art Community Management Team". 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  9. ↑ Masakadza, Blessing (10 April 2020). "Tengenenge founder dies...Benhura salutes Tom Blomfield". dailynews. Harare. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  10. ↑ Zimoyo, Tafadzwa (25 November 2020). "Bloomfield's ashes to be buried at Tengenenge". The Herald. Harare. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  11. ↑ "Tengenenge: Unique craft centre". The Standard. Harare. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  12. ↑ Larkin, Lance (2014). Following the stone: Zimbabwean sculptors carving a place in 21st century art worlds (pdf) (Thesis). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved 2 July 2020.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.