Tree of Life (Kester)
Encyclopedia
The Tree of Life is a sculpture created by four artists in Mozambique
. It was commissioned and then installed in the British Museum
in 2005. It was built from the surrender of 600,000 weapons that were notably converted into art following an initiative started by Bishop Dinis Sengulane
.
, as part of a co-operative called Associação Núcleo de Arte in Maputo
.
The scheme was created by the Mozambican Christian Council and supported by Christian Aid
. It was Bishop Dinis Sengulane
's idea which led to the creation of an organisation called "Transformacao de Armas em Enxadas" or "Transforming Arms into Tools". Sengulane who was one of the people creditted for creating the opportunity for peace following the Mozambique Civil War.
The "Transforming Arms into Tools" organisation supplied the decommissioned weapons to the artists and his group for this and many other related pieces of sculpture.
Around the bottom of the main trunk, which weighs half a ton (c. 500 kg), there are some complementary sculptures of animals. The animals are a turtle, a lizard and two birds. These too are made from welded guns. Weapons are important symbols in Mozambique. An AK47 still features on Mozambique's flag
. This sculpture was made from weapons which include Kalashnikov AK47s , Walther 42s, German MP 40s and British 4.85mm
s.
The millions of weapons in Mozambique were the remains of the civil war that was funded by South Africa
and Rhodesia
and involved emigrants from both of their regimes. One million people were killed and the war only ended when the Soviet Union collapsed and the funding ended. Kofi Annan
of the United Nations
said, when similar work was being discussed, "We don't manufacture weapons, we sometimes don't even have money to buy them. How do we get these weapons to kill each other?"
in 2002. The sculpture had been brought to England by Christian Aid as part of an exhibition called Swords into Ploughshares. Transforming Arms into Art.
, the British Museum, Christian Aid and a number of London galleries. The season finished in October 2005. In 2010 the tree is a feature of room 25 of the British Museum. Bishop Sengulane who started this project said.
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. It was commissioned and then installed in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
in 2005. It was built from the surrender of 600,000 weapons that were notably converted into art following an initiative started by Bishop Dinis Sengulane
Dinis Sengulane
Dinis Salomão Sengulane is the Anglican Bishop of Lebombo, Maputo, Mozambique. He helped to end the Mozambican Civil War and helped with the surrender of 600,000 weapons that were notably converted into art.-Biography:...
.
Description
The sculpture was created by four artists, Kester, Hilario Nhatugueja, Fiel dos Santos and Adelino Serafim Maté in MaputoMaputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, as part of a co-operative called Associação Núcleo de Arte in Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
.
The scheme was created by the Mozambican Christian Council and supported by Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
. It was Bishop Dinis Sengulane
Dinis Sengulane
Dinis Salomão Sengulane is the Anglican Bishop of Lebombo, Maputo, Mozambique. He helped to end the Mozambican Civil War and helped with the surrender of 600,000 weapons that were notably converted into art.-Biography:...
's idea which led to the creation of an organisation called "Transformacao de Armas em Enxadas" or "Transforming Arms into Tools". Sengulane who was one of the people creditted for creating the opportunity for peace following the Mozambique Civil War.
The "Transforming Arms into Tools" organisation supplied the decommissioned weapons to the artists and his group for this and many other related pieces of sculpture.
Around the bottom of the main trunk, which weighs half a ton (c. 500 kg), there are some complementary sculptures of animals. The animals are a turtle, a lizard and two birds. These too are made from welded guns. Weapons are important symbols in Mozambique. An AK47 still features on Mozambique's flag
Flag of Mozambique
The flag of Mozambique was adopted on May 1, 1983. It includes the image of an AK-47 with a bayonet attached to the barrel and is the only national flag in the world to feature such a modern rifle....
. This sculpture was made from weapons which include Kalashnikov AK47s , Walther 42s, German MP 40s and British 4.85mm
L64/65
The L64 was an intermediate calibre British bullpup layout assault rifle developed in the 1970s. At one time it was known as the 4.85 Individual Weapon....
s.
The millions of weapons in Mozambique were the remains of the civil war that was funded by South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
and involved emigrants from both of their regimes. One million people were killed and the war only ended when the Soviet Union collapsed and the funding ended. Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
said, when similar work was being discussed, "We don't manufacture weapons, we sometimes don't even have money to buy them. How do we get these weapons to kill each other?"
Provenance
This sculpture was commissioned by the British Museum in 2005 after they had purchased another sculpture called Throne of WeaponsThrone of Weapons
The Throne of Weapons is a sculpture created by Cristóvão Canhavato out of disused weapons. It has been owned by the British Museum since 2002...
in 2002. The sculpture had been brought to England by Christian Aid as part of an exhibition called Swords into Ploughshares. Transforming Arms into Art.
Importance
This piece was exhibited in the museum main area from February 2005. It played a leading part in the "Africa 2005 Season" which took place in Britain and involved the Arts CouncilArts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
, the British Museum, Christian Aid and a number of London galleries. The season finished in October 2005. In 2010 the tree is a feature of room 25 of the British Museum. Bishop Sengulane who started this project said.
Why should this world have hungry people? Why should this world have a shortage of medicines? And yet, the amount of money which can be made available, almost instantly, for armament purposes is just amazing, and I would say shocking.