Agnes Nyanhongo
Agnes Nyanhongo (born 1960) is a Zimbabwean sculptor. Together with Colleen Madamombe, she is regarded as the most successful female Zimbabwean stone sculptor.
A native of Nyanga, Nyanhongo is the daughter of first-generation sculptor Claud Nyanhongo and sister of Gedion Nyanhongo, and spent much time helping in her father's studio as a girl. She began sculpting full-time early in life. Stylistically, her work is very similar to that of her father, and takes as its theme female issues of various sorts. Agnes has inherited his artistic flare and she has become singularly the most impressive person amongst Second Generation artists. She is not simply an exceptional female artist; she ‘is’ the Shona Sculptor extraordinaire.
There are many exceptional artists in Zimbabwe, in fact some of the best in the world, yet Agnes has been lorded as the finest of them all. This is a valid achievement and it is an honor that she should receive it in her lifetime. Agnes began sculpting later than her brothers because of her role as a young girl in traditional Manica culture, which is derived from Shona culture in general. To her parent’s credit, they did not discourage her from following in her father’s footsteps. She decided to pursue art more seriously though there were no female artists she was aware of in Nyanga where she spent her childhood and early adolescent. After independence in 1981 Agnes determined to make art her life.She began sculpting full time at an early age and in 1983 embarked on a three- year course at the B.A.T. Workshops in Harare, where she was considered to be one of the most promising students. Her quiet determination and belief in her work have carried it along a purposeful and individual path and have now earned her much critical acclaim and many awards. She works quite extensively with the human form, sometimes specifically with female issues, but always expressing a calm and watchful strength that seems so true to her own personality and character. At the school Agnes explored a diverse number of art forms including drawing, painting, textiles and sculpting. It was then that she settled into her chosen art although she demonstrated talent and enthusiasm in different artistic endeavors. Agnes also drew inspiration from a number of artists including her father Claude Nyanhongo, Moses Masaya, Nicholas Mukomberanwa and Tapfuma Gutsa.
From 1987 Agnes joined Chapungu Galleries. Whilst she was there she did not encounter any problems being a female artist amidst male talent and in fact gained the respect and admiration of many of her contemporaries who often encouraged her. It was in her third year that she began to explore her female themes more intricately. At this stage Agnes felt she needed to break out and express something entirely centered on her experience as a woman and to tell a story from a less well defined perspective. Agnes wanted to explore and express different themes in her art. One of the most significant themes was that of the role of individuals within their communities and society at large. As a student she was assisted by her then mentor, Moses Masaya and was encouraged to explore diverse themes in art.
Telling Stories on Stones – Agnes prefers to find her own stones from the quarries, she then hires a lorry to transport them to her home in Harare where she has her workshop. At times she chooses a particular stone to bring out the theme she desires or she derives some inspiration from the stone itself. Either of these two methods can take a moment or as long as two weeks. In another instance Agnes might have a theme in mind but cannot find the right stone in which to sculpt her vision and tell her story, but much of her work depicts the natural world around her; making close observations, but ultimately working from her own mental images of the subject. However, it is with traditional Shona myths that she has become increasingly involved recently. Not only does she feel that these have great relevance now, but she believes, as a sculptor, she has a responsibility in keeping them alive. "It is easier for artists as they can portray them in a striking figurative way which, when combined with a strong title, will remind or tell the viewer of an important story and this will remain with them." Her work is always attractive, with easy lines and areas of beautiful finish alongside other, unworked surfaces. As a result the images she produces, already universal by there nature, are presented in a combination of simplicity, quiet dignity, beauty and finesse.
Women's issues have run through her career. "I try somehow to express the role women play in society and the way they are being treated - they are still not free. They are struggling for freedom. Men must also see this because it is something that exists between men and women." At times her work has a rather specific message; for example, Nehanda - Spirit Medium, depicts the role of the national heroine Mbuya Nehanda, who inspired the first uprising against the white settlers in 1896. Other memorable works are The Conversation, with its Mona Lisa type effect of changing moods and tensions, The Family and The Thinker.
Since 1986 Agnes has had a number of exhibitions in various national and international galleries as well as having her works displayed in banks and other public places. Of the places where her works are housed, Agnes would like to see her art displayed in museums, institutions such as universities and in people’s homes because she believes that art should be shared and be used to educate people both in the private sphere and in public. Agnes would also like the opportunity to teach art towards the end of her art career.
Masterpieces - Agnes grows from strength to strength as she explores her chosen artistic form further. Her mastery of sculpting is shown in pieces such as ‘The Wedding Dress’, which she has in her private collection. This amazing piece is a medium sized stone detailing a young bride in her splendor and attractiveness. Her sculptures are in the permanent collection of the Chapungu Sculpture Park in Harare, in Loveland, CO, at the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Englewood, Colorado, and at the exhibition Zimbabwe Sculpture: a Tradition in Stone at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
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