CAMBA’s Shona Sculpture Sale Begins Tomorrow

CAMBA’s twice annual Shona Sculpture sale is coming up tomorrow. All proceeds benefit CAMBA’s programs and services and the sculptures make for unique gifts. After all, how many pieces of African art will you see under the tree this year?

CAMBA’s Shona Sculpture website offers a good primer on the art for sale.

Semi-abstract sculptures created by artists of Zimbabwe’s largest ethnic group can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Musee Rodin in Paris, Queen Elizabeth II, the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds, the actor Danny Glover and other discerning art collectors.

The Shona sculptors’ work is inspired by their deeply-held spiritual beliefs, folklore and daily life, and have in turn inspired many western artists. It is believed that Pablo Picasso may have been influenced by this art form. While modern in inspiration, their sculptures are created much as they were thousands of years ago. The sculptors use simple chisels to “release” the spirits of the stone. As the late Henry Munyaradzi, one of the most prominent sculptors explained, “The sculpture is already hidden in the stone–I just it let out.”

The Shona Holiday Sale will take place on Friday, December 14 through Sunday, December 16 from Noon to 5 pm each day at the CAMBA Shona Gallery at 19th Winthrop Street, 4th Floor (Between Flatbush and Bedford Avenues).