The Chapungu Sculpture Park is a renowned cultural landmark and

sculpture garden A sculpture garden or sculpture park is an outdoor garden or park which includes the presentation of sculpture, usually several permanently sited works in durable materials in landscaped surroundings. A sculpture garden may be private, owned by ...

in Msasa,

Harare Harare ( ), formerly Salisbury, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of , a population of 1,849,600 as of the 2022 Zimbabwe census, 2022 census and an estimated 2,487,209 people in its metrop ...

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

, which displays the work of Zimbabwean stone

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

s. Spanning over 15 acres of landscaped gardens, the park is dedicated to showcasing the rich heritage of African stone sculpture.

History

Chapungu Sculpture Park was established in 1970 by Roy Guthrie as the Gallery Shona Sculpture. Guthrie played a crucial role in promoting the work of Zimbabwean sculptors on an international scale. His efforts led to many exhibitions, including a touring exhibition titled "Chapungu: Custom and Legend — A Culture in Stone," which showcased the sculptures in various botanical gardens worldwide. The places visited include: *(1999)

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Kirstenbosch is a botanical garden nestled at the eastern foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town. The garden is one of 10 National Botanical Gardens covering five of South Africa's six different biomes and administered by the South African Natio ...

, Cape Town, South Africa *(2000)

Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botanical research and education institution, it employs 1,100 ...

,Catalogue published by Chapungu Sculpture Park, 2000, 136pp printed in full colour, with photographs by Jerry Hardman-Jones and text by Roy Guthrie (no ISBN) London, United Kingdom, *(2001)

Missouri Botanical Garden The Missouri Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located at 4344 Shaw Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri. It is also known informally as Shaw's Garden for founder and philanthropy, philanthropist Henry Shaw (philanthropist), Henry Shaw. I ...

, St Louis, USA *(2001) Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park, Superior, USA *(2002)

Red Butte Garden and Arboretum Red Butte Garden and Arboretum consists of a botanical garden, arboretum, and amphitheatre operated by the University of Utah, in the foothills of the Wasatch Range in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It is open year-round to the public. Red ...

, Salt Lake City, USA *(2003)

Garfield Park Conservatory Garfield Park Conservatory, located in Garfield Park (Chicago), Garfield Park in Chicago, is one of the largest greenhouse conservatory (greenhouse), conservatories in the United States. Often referred to as "landscape art under glass", the Garf ...

, Chicago, USA *(2003)

Chicago Botanic Garden The Chicago Botanic Garden is a botanical garden situated on nine islands in the northern Cook County Forest Preserves. It features 27 display gardens and five natural habitats including Mary Mix McDonald Woods, Barbara Brown Nature Reserve, Di ...

, Chicago USA *(2004)

Denver Botanic Gardens The Denver Botanic Gardens is a public botanical garden located in the Cheesman Park neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The park contains a conservatory, a variety of theme gardens and a sunken amphitheater, which hosts various concerts in the ...

, Denver, USA Never Been Kissed by Bernard Sakarombe

Collection

The sculptures in Harare encompass the largest collection from the First Generation (those who created between the late 1960s and the 1980s) to the present day, featuring the creations of renowned sculptors such as Joram Mariga, Joseph Ndandarika, Henry Munyaradzi, Nicholas Mukomberanwa, Sylvester Mubayi, Bernard Matemera, Richard Mteki, John, Bernard and Lazarus Takawira and Brighton Sango, as well as many from the Second Generation (those who created between the 1980s and 1990s) such as Tapfuma Gutsa, Agnes Nyanhongo, Colleen Madamombe, Rachel Ndandarika, Dominic Benhura, Joe Mutasa, Arthur Fata, Jonathan Gutsa, Fabian Madamombe, Taylor Nkomo and Eddie Masaya. These masterpieces, crafted from Zimbabwe's diverse range of stones, embody the country's deep connection to the natural world, spirituality, and ancestral heritage. Chapungu is committed to showcasing authentic sculptures by these renowned sculptors at its outdoor museum specifically dedicated to the early sculptors, including the early artists from the Tengenenge Community. There, many schools and art collectors learn about the artwork that emerged from this period, most of which are very organic as they were carved using hand tools with no machinery. For those seeking a more intimate encounter with contemporary Zimbabwean art, the park's indoor gallery houses an impressive array of sculptures crafted from semi-precious stones like rose quartz, verdite, aventurine, red jasper, and agate. These intricate pieces showcase the ingenuity and artistic vision of Zimbabwe's modern sculptors.

Features

Chapungu Sculpture Park is characterised by its tranquil ambiance and offers visitors a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The main entrance features a beautiful cathedral of over fifty Fever Trees, creating an enchanting gateway into the park. Within the park, visitors can explore the meticulously landscaped gardens that boast over 100 species of indigenous trees and shrubs, providing a picturesque backdrop for the stone sculptures. The park is home to a diverse collection of life-size stone sculptures, each with its own unique story and cultural significance. These sculptures offer a glimpse into the rich heritage of Africa and celebrate the talent and creativity of Zimbabwean sculptors.

Artists

Among the artists whose works can be seen at the park are: *

Dominic Benhura Dominic Benhura (born 1968) is a Zimbabwean sculptor. Biography Benhura was born in Murewa, to the northeast of Harare. His father died before his birth, and he was raised by his mother. As he was an excellent student, it was suggested th ...

Crispen Chakanyuka Crispen Chakanyuka (1943 – 2002) was a Zimbabwean sculptor. Born in the Guruve district, Chakanyuka completed his schooling in 1960, and traveled to Nyanga to look for work. There he met Joram Mariga, to whom he was introduced by John Tak ...

* Square Chikwanda * Sanwell Chirume * Stanford Derere * Arthur Fata * Barankinya Gotsa *

Tapfuma Gutsa Tapfuma Gutsa (born 1956) is a Zimbabwean sculptor. A native of Harare, Gutsa studied sculpture with Cornelius Manguma at the Driefontein Mission School, later becoming the first Zimbabwean recipient of a British Council award. The scholarshi ...

* Chrispen June * Makina Kameya * Biggie Kapeta * Royal Katiyo * Samson Kuvengura * Derek Macheka *

Colleen Madamombe Colleen Madamombe (1964–2009) was a Zimbabwean sculptor working primarily in Stone carving, stone. Her work expresses themes of womanhood, motherhood, and tribal Matriarchy. Early life and education Colleen Madamombe was born in 1964 in Salis ...

* Fabian Madamombe * Wazi Maicolo * Amali Mailolo * Damian Manhuwa * Josia Manzi *

Joram Mariga Joram Mariga has been called (and believed himself to be) the “Father of Zimbabwean Sculpture” because of his influence on the local artistic community starting in the 1950s and continuing until his death in 2000. The sculptural movement of whi ...

* Eddie Masaya * Moses Masaya * Passmore Mashaya *

Bernard Matemera Bernard Matemera (14 January 1946 – 4 March 2002) was a Zimbabwean sculptor. The sculptural movement of which he was part is usually referred to as "Shona sculpture" (see Shona art), although some of its recognised members are not ethnically Sh ...

* Boira Mteki * Bryn Mteki * Richard Mteki *

Sylvester Mubayi Sylvester Mubayi (1942 – 13 December 2022) was a Zimbabwean sculptor. Early life and education Sylvester Mubayi was born in 1942 in the Chihota Reserve near Marondera, Zimbabwe, the sixth child in a family of nine. He left school aged sixteen a ...

Thomas Mukarobgwa Thomas Mukarobgwa (1924–1999) was a Zimbabwean painter and sculptor who worked as a gallery attendant for much of his career. Mukarobgwa was born in Nyanga, in the countryside of what was then Southern Rhodesia, and had limited education. He ...

Nicholas Mukomberanwa Nicholas Mukomberanwa (1940–12 November 2002), was a Zimbabwean sculpture, sculptor and art teacher. He was among the most famous protégés of the Workshop School at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. He was a mentor to the Mukomberanwa Family ...

* Joseph Muli *

Henry Munyaradzi Henry Munyaradzi, also known as Henry Munyaradzi Mudzengerere, (1931 – 27 February 1998) was a Zimbabwean sculptor. The sculptural movement of which he was part is usually referred to as "Shona sculpture" (see Shona art and Art of Zimbabwe ...

Joe Mutasa Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage, based on the novel ''Joe'' (1991) by Larry Brown * Joe (2023 film), an Indian film * ''Joe'' (TV ser ...

* Tendai Mutasa * Joseph Muzondo *

Joseph Ndandarika Joseph Ndandarika (1940 – May 1991) was a Zimbabwean sculptor known for his figurative works. Early life and education Ndandarika was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia and grew up in Rusape. He was the son of a Malawian bus driver and a Shona mother ...

Locardia Ndandarika Locardia Ndandarika (1945 – 5 January 2023), was a Zimbabwean sculptor. A native of Bindura, as a young girl Ndandarika made models in clay using traditional methods. In 1964. she married Joseph Ndandarika, divorcing him in 1978. During their ...

* Agnes Nyanhongo * Euwit Nyanhongo * Gedion Nyanhongo * Brighton Sango * Amos Supuni *

Bernard Takawira Bernard Takawira (1948–1997) was a Zimbabwean sculptor, the younger brother of John Takawira and older brother of Lazarus Takawira. Takawira was born in the mountainous Nyanga district, third of six children. Their father was often absent fo ...

* John Takawira * Lazarus Takawira

Chapungu Sculpture Center

The park also houses the Chapungu Sculpture Centre, which hosts an important residency program and plays a crucial role in shaping the careers of young sculptors. The center offers a residency program that provides emerging artists with the opportunity to work alongside established sculptors and learn from their expertise. Additionally, the HAYA Cooperative, a group of artists who work at Chapungu, actively contributes to the artistic community at the park.

Expansion

In 2007, Chapungu Sculpture Park expanded to

Loveland, Colorado Loveland is a List of cities and towns in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality and the List of cities and towns in Colorado, second most populous municipality in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated n ...

, with the establishment of another park and gallery. This expansion has allowed a wider audience to experience the unique beauty and cultural significance of Zimbabwean stone sculptures.

Events

Chapungu Sculpture Park is not only a place of artistic appreciation but also a popular venue for various events. With its idyllic setting and serene environment, the park provides a picturesque location for corporate events, weddings, and other special gatherings.

Conclusion

Chapungu Sculpture Park stands as a testimony to Zimbabwe's artistic legacy and the rich creativity of African culture. Through its collection of stone sculptures and its commitment to supporting emerging artists, the park showcases the depth and beauty of Zimbabwean art. Its expansion to Loveland, Colorado speaks to its global recognition and continued impact on the art world. Cherished by locals and appreciated by visitors worldwide, Chapungu Sculpture Park serves as a captivating celebration of Zimbabwe's artistic heritage.