Gathering Thoughts

Today's Featured Sculpture

Gathering Thoughts by Brian Nyanhongo 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ref No: 856

Title: Gathering Thoughts

Sculptor: Brian Nyanhongo

Medium: Springstone

Dimentions: 59x22x29

Weight: 43Kgs

Sculptor Information  

Brian Nyanhongo was born in Nyanga on the 29th October 1968.

Brian attended School at Mazarura Primary School, St Mary’s Secondary School in Nyanga, St Faith High School in Rusape and Hillside Teacher’s College in Bulawayo, and obtained a Diploma in Education. Brian later taught Shona, English Languages and Religious Studies at Kundayi Secondary School in Mazowe District for almost six years.

Depending on one’s belief whether one’s talent is an outcome of social upbringing (environment) or inheritance, Brian thinks he is one of both. His father Claude a renowned sculptor, his grandfather and great grandfather were blacksmiths. He grew up seeing his father sculpt and always helped during the school holidays. He also helped his brother Gedion and sister Agnes who is still working with him to date. The interaction with most of the family members influenced him a lot into the sculpting world.

Human life involves risks and it would be poor existence if it did not. Most people would rather not know exactly how their lives are going to work out, and everyday involves making decisions, some trivial and some important which will influence the future. This is exactly what Brian did and quitted teaching to join many of his family members in the field of sculpting. He has since made a remarkable contribution to Zimbabwe Shona Sculpture.

Brian sees sculpting as a tool for social transformation, to help a person who understands his work to do right where formerly he willed to do wrong. It is also a tool for social transformation culturally regardless of differences in our traditional and religious background. “A work of art should express society’s abhorrence of any form of wrong doing and induce a change of mind and heard on the part of social misfits”. This he portrays through human figures in relation to animals as depicted by the Shona traditional, cultural and religious beliefs.

Environment is also a major influence to his work. Brian grew up in the mountainous part of Zimbabwe the Eastern Highlands. He used to look after his father’s livestock, cattle, sheep, goats, going to the fields, hunting and many other responsibilities. This he tries to bring in stone showing human interaction and relationships. He also shows human relationship to animals and the environment.

His work featured in many group exhibitions worldwide. His profession as a teacher did not die, when he left classroom he is giving sculpting lessons to beginners from the U.S.A. who come to Zimbabwe on the Pfizer College Program which is affiliated to the University of Zimbabwe every year. He works with two students one in June - July and the other in November - December.

Brian took part in the Chapungu: Stories in Stone exhibition at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio U.S.A. in 2004 and 2005. Here he broadened his experience working alongside sculptor Authur Fata.