Missouri Botanical Garden - CHAPUNGU nature, man, and myth Missouri Botanical Garden

Voice: Nicolas Kadsungura, Chapungu Artist

My name is Nicholas Kadzungura. I'm an artist from Zimbabwe. I started sculpting in 1987 under the guidance of Dominic Benhura, one of our first generation artists in Zimbabwe. Ten years later, I went to Chapungu Sculpture Park when I was invited as a resident artists.

I always like to sculpt people, especially the groups: Teaching Mother to Read, Innocent Victim of Political Violence, and also Sole Proud of My Children. On Teaching Mother to Read, this sculpture is right here in this exhibit. There is long story about it. When Zimbabwe was under the British rule, the elders didn't have the chance to go to school. Now, the children have the chance to go to school and they come back teaching their parents to read and their parents become very proud of their children.

And also I did one which I call Innocent Victim of Political Violence. That I want people to unite and lets not fight.

Voice: Royal Katiyo, Chapungu Artist

My name is Royal Katiyo. I'm an artist from Zimbabwe. I learned to sculpt from a friend by the name of Luke Mgavazi. That was in 1992, after my school. I joined Chapungu in 1994. Chapungu invited me to work with them as a resident artist.

Mostly I want to sculpt quails. I like these birds, it is my favorite. These birds, I used to hate them when I grew up because they'd come to our fields and eat our seeds after we plant our seeds. But now, I like them because it's easier for me when I look at the stone to decide what to make.

I'd like people to know about my work that we should conserve nature because these birds are part of nature and part of our life.

Voice: Roy Guthrie
Zimbabwe is a subtropical African country located in the southern
central part of Africa, slightly above South Africa, below Zambia,
to the west of Mozambique, and to the east of Angola. And it is a
country which is subtropical, as I've said; it's on a plateau about
4,500 feet up. It has a wonderful climate with a long 7 months of
winter, but beautiful weather during that time. And it is home to
some of the great wonders of the world, like Victoria Falls which
is acknowledged everywhere, and the Zimbabwe ruins and has
been home to some of the great natural animals-the elephants,
and the lions and all the great African animals. But, it is also home
to one of the finest people in the world-the Shona people and
the Ndebele people. And now acknowledged for its great stone
sculpture, probably-I always say the politicians will disappear but
the sculpture will be renowned for hundreds of years. And so, yes
it is a wonderful small African country.

Voice: Collen Nyanhongo, Chapungu Artist
I am Collen Nyanhongo. I come from a well known family of
internationally recognized Zimbabwean sculptors.

Sculpture has always been part of my life. From when I was
very young, I would sculpt for fun with my father Claude and my
brothers and sisters. I sculpted with them after school in my free
time. My father is my main inspiration to become a sculptor. I
began studying how to sculpt under him, my brother Gideon and
my sister Agnes. I sculpted with them on the weekends while I
attended college. During that time, art collectors would come to
our house or the galleries and purchase my sculptures.

When I completed college, I looked for a job as a salesperson at
Chapungu Sculpture Park. Instead the director, Mr. Roy Guthrie,
encouraged me to pursue my talents as an artist.

As I am working on a piece, I want to combine what the stone
has in it with my artistic creativity and through the process the
sculpture evolves.

The main subjects of my work are of the Shona spirits, nature,
birds, animals and figures sculpted in an abstract form.

I choose to work with springstone, leopard stone, and lepidolite.
From my sculptures, I want to help people to understand the
culture of our ancestors, the day-to-day life of people and the
interaction between man and nature.

Voice: Gedeon Nyanhongo, Chapungu Artist
I am Gedeon Nyanhongo. I come from a family of well-known
Zimbabwean sculptors, including my sister Agnes and my
father Claude. When I first started sculpting, I went with one of
Zimbabwe's most critically acclaimed artists, Joseph Ndandarika,
for three years. His guidance and influence gave me the confidence
to follow my own path as an artist. In 1994, I was chosen to
participate in the Chapungu artist resident program for
a year. My work portrays the ever changing aspects of my culture.
My work must mark the stages of my life. It also records the
important stages of life around me.

I use the hardest, most durable stones so that people will be
able to understand these things in the years to come. My art is
inspired by human relationships, especially those among families.
My subjects are full of spirit. My sculptures speak tenderly of
parenthood, protection, innocence and human love. They also
represent traditional Shona themes of spiritual guidance and
direction, as in -Chapungu Protecting Family.-

Voice: Ann Walker
I'm Anne Walker, the Garden's Chapungu Exhibition Outreach
Liaison. Join us for Chapungu Nights every Thursday evening now
through September. Spend a summer evening in the Garden seeing
the sculptures from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. You can take a self-guided
walking tour, watch the artists at work on Linnean Plaza, and enjoy
cocktails and entertainment on Spoehrer Plaza. Dine outside on
the patio of the Sassafras Café where some special African recipes
will be on the menu. The Fountain Grill will serve hotdogs and
hamburgers. Admission to Chapungu Nights is $10.00 or $5.00 for
Garden members-food and drinks cost extra.

You might like to create your own original sculpture at one of
our artist workshops this summer. No experience is required and
artists and residents from the Chapungu Sculpture Park will guide
you during informal 5 day classes, held Tuesday through Saturday,
under a tent on Linnean Plaza. The workshop costs $500, however
membership does have its privileges-Garden members receive a
discount. The fee includes a stone from Zimbabwe, a set of tools
that you may keep, and personal instructions by a Shona artist.

For more details about Chapungu Nights and Artists Workshops
visit our website at www.mobot.org.