Eddious Nyagweta
Eddious Nyagweta was born in 1978 in a poor area 170 km south of the capital of Zimbabwe. As a child, he kept cattle from the farmers so that his parents could pay his school fees.
The famous artist THOMAS MUKAROBWA also lived in Rusape, and so Eddious met this sculptor and painter. Eddious was enthusiastic about the abilities of the master. He visited the artist as often as he could. Already as a child he was allowed to use his tools and to put on his own hand.
To create a fine, expressive sculpture out of a raw rock became his goal and his calling. After his primary school graduation a dream came true for Eddy, he became an apprentice of the great master. Eddy's talent quickly spread, but since he had no direct access to the artists' market in Harare (capital of Zimbabwe), he was dependent on middlemen. Eddious's skill did not remain hidden even from less gifted stone sculptors, and so others gave less talented artists commissioned and sold Eddious's works than their own.
In early 2001, a German art collector, Mr. Hans Dietrich Huebert, noticed that several remarkable works of art with the same characteristics were offered under different names, and after long research discovered the true artist, Eddious Nyagweta. When Mr. Huebert presented Eddious works to various European art exhibitions and galleries, they were immediately thrilled.
Eddious Nyagweta is currently exhibiting in Germany, Belgium (Brussels) and Luxembourg.
The Krippana, the largest crib exhibition in Europe, even commissioned an exceptional work.
A 3-metre-long blue whale made of hard, black springstone.
This unusual Shona work will take its place in the entrance area of the exhibition and show the international public the skills of the African Shona sculptors.
Eddious Nyagweta, when he received the order for the whale, said: "I have never seen a whale before, but I will ask the soul of the stone if it is willing to climb with me into the depths of the ocean to feel the power of the whale. Then I will express this feeling in the stone."
Washington Msonza
Washington Msonza was born in 1966 in Makumbe as the oldest of 8 children. He attended the Govera primary school in the Oomboshava district, then Rhodesia. Later he continued his education at the high school in Chitungwiza. In his spare time he became interested in the artists living there. He enjoyed watching work, especially his brother-in-law Albert Marnvura. He learned sculpture from the famous Nicolas Mukomberanwa and later founded his own workshop.
His great talent soon became apparent and he began to work on his own sculptures. His great skill was also influenced by the guidance of famous sculptors like Locadia Ndankarika, Bieggie Kapeta and Gedion Nyanhongo. In the beginning he created small stone pictures of women in pretty dresses.
Tourists liked them. Gradually the works became bigger and more mature. In galleries Like Nhukutu Gallery, Chapungu Sculpture Park and Springstone alery, the sculptures were now exhibited. In the meantime, many works of art can be found among private collectors and galleries in South Africa, Europe and the USA.
In the year 2000 Washington Msonza together with James Mutambika took part as representative of Zimbabwe in the "Changschun International Sculpture Symposium" in China. It was here that Washington achieved its international breakthrough. His greatest work to date was created at this competition, "angle protecting lovers". The sculpture made of white marble shows an angel spreading its wings over a couple of lovers.
The name Washington Msonza has attracted the interest of renowned collectors from the USA and Europe,
"I would be happy if people from all continents could watch me create a beautiful stone sculpture of everlasting beauty out of a shapeless rock," says Msonza.