Nicholas Mukomberanwa
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Mukomberanwa was a Zimbabwe
an sculptor
. He was among the most famous products of the Workshop School.
District and spent his childhood in a rural
environment. He was interested in art from an early age, being introduced to the craft of woodcarving while a student at the Sermia Mission School. Here, too, he encountered a blend of traditional Christian
iconography
and tribal Africa
n pieces.
Mukomberanwa moved to Harare
while in his twenties, taking a job as a police officer
and setting aside his artistic training. In 1962 he met Frank McEwen
, then director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe
, who encouraged him to take up art again. McEwen provided materials and training in a workshop in the Gallery basement, and soon Mukomberanwa was sculpting in his free time. Eventually, in a risky move, he decided to leave his career with the police to become a sculptor full-time. The gambit paid off, and by the 1970s his work was being shown in important shows in Paris
, New York City
, and London
. Mukomberanwa continued to hone his skills over the following decade, developing one of the most distinctive personal styles found in his generation of Zimbabwean stone sculptors.
In the 1990s, Mukomberanwa's reputation was further enhanced by several one-man shows in London and New York. Later in his career, he slowed his production of art to enjoy farming
and cattle ranching on an extensive spread which he owned. He produced less, creating more personal sculptures and slowing down the pace of his life considerably.
Mukomberanwa's works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art
and the Museum of Man
in London as well as in the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. He died suddenly in 2002.
Several of Mukomberanwa's children became sculptors, including his sons Anderson
, Lawrence
, and Taguma
, and his daughters Netsai
and Ennica
. He was also the uncle and teacher of Nesbert Mukomberanwa
and mentor to African-American sculptor M. Scott Johnson.
s and bird
s; most were highly polished, although in a few cases he would contrast smooth sections with areas of great roughness. He worked primarily in stone, using local materials such as serpentine. Stylistically, his works were similar in nature to the sculptures of the Shona people
, from whom he derived some of his stylistic ideas.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
. He was among the most famous products of the Workshop School.
Life
Mukomberanwa was born in the BuheraBuhera
Buhera is a district in the province of Manicaland, Zimbabwe about 82 km south east of Chivhu. It serves as the administrative and commercial centre for the Sabi communal lands....
District and spent his childhood in a rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
environment. He was interested in art from an early age, being introduced to the craft of woodcarving while a student at the Sermia Mission School. Here, too, he encountered a blend of traditional Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
iconography
Iconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
and tribal Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n pieces.
Mukomberanwa moved to Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
while in his twenties, taking a job as a police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
and setting aside his artistic training. In 1962 he met Frank McEwen
Frank McEwen
Francis Jack "Frank" McEwen, OBE was an English artist, teacher, and museum administrator. He is best remembered today for his efforts to bring attention to the work of Shona artists in Rhodesia, and for helping to found the National Gallery of Zimbabwe...
, then director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe
National Gallery of Zimbabwe
The National Gallery of Zimbabwe is a gallery in Harare, Zimbabwe, dedicated to the presentation and conservation of Zimbabwe’s contemporary art and visual heritage...
, who encouraged him to take up art again. McEwen provided materials and training in a workshop in the Gallery basement, and soon Mukomberanwa was sculpting in his free time. Eventually, in a risky move, he decided to leave his career with the police to become a sculptor full-time. The gambit paid off, and by the 1970s his work was being shown in important shows in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Mukomberanwa continued to hone his skills over the following decade, developing one of the most distinctive personal styles found in his generation of Zimbabwean stone sculptors.
In the 1990s, Mukomberanwa's reputation was further enhanced by several one-man shows in London and New York. Later in his career, he slowed his production of art to enjoy farming
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and cattle ranching on an extensive spread which he owned. He produced less, creating more personal sculptures and slowing down the pace of his life considerably.
Mukomberanwa's works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
and the Museum of Man
Museum of Man
The Museum of Man may refer to:* Musée de l'Homme , Paris, France* San Diego Museum of Man, anthropology and pre-Columbian museum in San Diego, California...
in London as well as in the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. He died suddenly in 2002.
Several of Mukomberanwa's children became sculptors, including his sons Anderson
Anderson Mukomberanwa
Anderson Mukomberanwa was a Zimbabwean artist known primarily for his stone sculpture. The son of Nicholas Mukomberanwa, he was the brother of sculptors Taguma, Lawrence, Ennica, and Netsai Mukomberanwa, and the cousin of Nesbert Mukomberanwa....
, Lawrence
Lawrence Mukomberanwa
Lawrence Mukomberanwa is a Zimbabwean sculptor.The son of Nicholas Mukomberanwa, Lawrence worked with his father while training to be a commercial pilot. He worked in the field for some years before turning to sculpture full-time...
, and Taguma
Taguma Mukomberanwa
Taguma Mukomberanwa is a Zimbabwean sculptor. The son of Nicholas Mukomberanwa, he is the brother of sculptors Anderson, Lawrence, Ennica, and Netsai Mukomberanwa, and the cousin of Nesbert Mukomberanwa.-References:*...
, and his daughters Netsai
Netsai Mukomberanwa
Netsai Mukomberanwa is a Zimbabwean sculptor. The daughter of Nicholas Mukomberanwa, she is the sister of sculptors Anderson, Ennica, Taguma, and Lawrence Mukomberanwa, and the cousin of Nesbert Mukomberanwa. She spends afternoons producing her work at the family farm in Ruwa; her primary job is...
and Ennica
Ennica Mukomberanwa
Ennica Mukomberanwa is a Zimbabwean sculptor. The daughter of Nicholas Mukomberanwa, she is the sister of sculptors Anderson, Netsai, Taguma, and Lawrence Mukomberanwa, and the cousin of Nesbert Mukomberanwa...
. He was also the uncle and teacher of Nesbert Mukomberanwa
Nesbert Mukomberanwa
Nesbert Mukomberanwa is a Zimbabwean sculptor. The nephew of Nicholas Mukomberanwa, he is the cousin of sculptors Anderson, Ennica, Taguma, Netsai, and Lawrence Mukomberanwa....
and mentor to African-American sculptor M. Scott Johnson.
Work
Mukomberanwa's sculptures frequently depicted forms taken from nature, such as animalAnimal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s and bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s; most were highly polished, although in a few cases he would contrast smooth sections with areas of great roughness. He worked primarily in stone, using local materials such as serpentine. Stylistically, his works were similar in nature to the sculptures of the Shona people
Shona people
Shona is the name collectively given to two groups of people in the east and southwest of Zimbabwe, north eastern Botswana and southern Mozambique.-Shona Regional Classification:...
, from whom he derived some of his stylistic ideas.