Tuesday 4 December 2007

Nesbert Mukomberanwa | Zimbabwe


Nesbert Mukomberanwa was born in 1969 in Buhera, in Masvingo province, Zimbabwe. He began to sculpt in 1987 working as an apprentice for his uncle, Nicholas Mukomberanwa, arguably the greatest Zimbabwean sculptor ever and one of the most internationally respected artists of the 'Shona Sculpture' movement, and was a most prestigious teacher. By 1989, Nesbert left his apprenticeship and established his own workshop at home in Chitungwiza. There he worked for nearly a decade, developing his own distinctive style yet at the same maintaining the Mukomberanwa attention to detail and pursuit for perfection. Each piece is meticulously worked and finished, a technique seen in all the work of the Mukomberanwa family.

In 1998, Nesbert relocated to the village of Dema, south of Chitungwiza. In the tranquillity of the bush, he was liberated and free to concentrate fully on his art.

Recently, he developed the 'Village Gallery', where promising young sculptors train in his workshop and their pieces are displayed in the gallery and gardens. Being a strong believer in helping other talented artists to prominence, Nesbert has shown works by selected Chitungwiza-based artists in his gallery. Over the years Nesbert has gained international recognition with recent group exhibitions held in the Netherlands (2001), Switzerland (2002), UK (2002) and USA Memphis, Tn in April/May 2003. He is quickly becoming one of Zimbabwe's leading artist's and one of the worlds most exciting sculptors.

Nesbert Mukomberanwa's "Composer" is dazzling, unique and commands attention. The lines are part of a new wave of modern sculpture. The piece has a wonderfully simple contemporary design of a single note but it is much more. The rough with the smooth, how symbolic. The true vision of an artist/a composer. The piece is sculpted out of Springstone, which is one of the hardest and heaviest stones found in Zimbabwe.

Through this artistic career Nesbert has taken his talent to new heights and set the bar at an all time high. This piece brilliantly combines texture with a contemporary design creating an exquisite interpretation of a "Composer."

Look out for this artists and his works.

Author: Joe Pollitt

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