Brian Nyanhongo

Brian attended School at Mazarura Primary School, St Mary;s Secondary School in Nyanga, St Faith High School in Rusape and Hillside Teachers College in Bulawayo, and obtained a Diploma in Education. Brian later taught Shona, English Languages and Religious Studies at Kundayi Secondary School in Mazowe District for almost five years.

 

Depending on ones belief whether ones talent is an outcome of social upbringing (environment) or inheritance, Brian thinks he is one of both. His father Claude a renounced sculptor, his grandfather and great grandfather were black smith. He grow up seeing his father sculpt and always helped during the school holidays. He also helped his brother Gedion and sister Agnes who is still working with him to date. The interaction with most of the family members influenced him a lot into the sculpting world.

 

Human life involves risks and it would be poor existence if it did not. Most people would rather not know exactly how their lives are going to work out, and everyday involves making decisions some trivial and some important which will influence the future. This is exactly what Brian did and quitted teaching to join many of his family members in the field of sculpting. He has since make a remarkable contribution to Zimbabwe Shona Sculpture.

 

Brian takes sculpting as a tool for social transformation, to help a person who understands his work to do right where formerly he willed to do wrong. It is also a tool for social transformation culturally regardless of differences in our traditional and religious background. A work of art should express societys abhorrence of any form of wrong doing and induce a change of mind and heart on the part of social misfits. This he potrays through human figures in relation to animals as depicted by the Shona traditional, cultural and religious beliefs.

 

Environment is also a major influence to his work. Brian grew up in the Mountainous part of Zimbabwe the Eastern Highlands. He used to look after his fathers livestock- cattle, sheep, goats, going to the fields, hunting and many other responsibilities. This he tries to bring in stone showing human interaction and relationships. He also shows human relationship to animals and the environment. His work featured in many group Exhibitions world wide. His profession as a teacher did not die, when he left classroom he is giving sculpting lessons to beginners from the U.S.A who come to Zimbabwe on the Pfizer College Program which is affiliated to the University of Zimbabwe every year. He works with two students one in June-July and the other in November-December.

 

EXHIBITIONS:

 

1994 Johnne Boynne Gallery in Harare Zimbabwe

1998-99 Keistenbosch South Africa (Chapungu)

1998 Hamburg Germany Group Exhibition alongside Henry Munyaradzi, Lazarus Takawira, Agnes Nyanhongo, Damian Manhuwa, Bernard Mutemera, Josiah Manzi, Richard Muteki and Joseph Munemo.

Chapungu Australia Family exhibition

1999 U.K Cambridge Clare Hall (Africa in stone) Family Exhibition

2000 UK Cambridge Clare Hall stone in Africa Family Exihibition

2000 World Expo ( Chapungu)

2000 Keistenbosch South Africa (Chapungu)

2001 Keistebosch South Africa (Chapungu)

2001 The Zeist Holland

2001 Royal Botanic Gardens Kew London (Custom Legend and culture in stone) USA

2002 Salt Lake City U.S.A (Chapungu)

2002 Keistenbosch South Africa (Chapungu)

2002 Hotel Palace Luzern Switzerland

2002 Waterperry House Oxford (Chapungu)

2003 Chicago Botanical Garden, USA (Chapungu)

2003 HOPE, Dietz Germany (Marlies Muenkel)

2003 Slot Zeist Holland

2004 Denver Botanical Garden, Colorado USA (Chapungu)

 

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