African Maiden

Today's Featured Sculpture

African Maiden by Wencelous Marufu

  

Ref No: 35

Title: African Maiden 

Sculptor: Wencelous Marufu

Medium: Serpentine

Dimentions: 51x21x17

Weight: 24Kgs

Sculptor Information

 

Wencelous was born on the 17^th May 1964 in Chishawasha, which is on the outskirts of Harare. His totem is the monkey. He is the first born of seven.

Wencelous attended Murewa Mission where he did his primary and secondary education and left after completing his O-Levels. He then joined the Zimbabwe Electricity Association as a clerk. Later he became an inspector for the Societte Generalle de Survellance.

Wencelous was introduced to sculpting by his cousin Tapfuma Gutsa and Arthur Fata and after a year of sculpting, he left his job and became a full time sculptor. Wencelous has now been carving in his own right for several years and the recurring themes and images of his sculpture centre on the human figure (most recently the torso and head) as well as the natural world around him (animals and birds such as the heron and eagle). He found that both Arthur Fata and Tapfuma Gutsa heavily influenced his work and both are known for their imaginative use of materials and although Wencelous remains loyal to the stone although he has made cautious inroads into the use of other mediums. His work is quite decorative and he is often concerned with great detail - for example, adding to his human figures traditional beadwork, also carved in stone, around the neck and waist according to tribal patterns.

The sculptures dearest to him are his images of Zimbabwean birds. These are not necessarily taken from real life, but come from powerful memories of an interest when a young boy.

When speaking of his sculpture he said, “I am proud of my work, it has got volume. I carve according to the feeling I have before I start. I have a vision - maybe of a bird or an animal - and I look for a stone that is suitable for this image.”

Wencelous sculpts in Serpentine, primarily the Opal, Green, Golden and Black varieties, but his favourite is the Green Serpentine. He also combines other materials into his sculpture using wood and wire with stone.

He strongly believes in the relevance of Shona customs and traditions for today’s society and feels that the future for the younger generation lies in the combination of these beliefs with aspects of modern “Western” ways. 

Wencelous feels confident that the youth of Zimbabwe will find their own way of taking from the two cultures to forge a vital and contemporary identity. His sculpture testifies to these concerns.

Wencelous’ sculpture has been exhibited locally and overseas.

Wencelous sadly passed away in 2003.