Washington Msonza

Washington was born in 1966, the first born of a family of eight. He started his schooling near his hometown Makumbe in the Domboshava district and later finished his schooling at Chitungwiza Secondary School.

Whilst living in Chitungwiza he spent most of his spare time watching his brother-in-law Albert Mamvura. Albert had set up his own workshop after learning to sculpt from his cousin, the great master sculptor Nicholas Mukomberanwa.

In 1988 Washington joined Albert as his student and assistant. Washington was a capable student and soon started sculpting his own pieces in the evenings, additional experience was gained by working and watching other famous sculptors like Locadia Ndandarika, Biggie Kapeta and Gedion Nyanhongo. His early pieces were small – mainly he sculpted women in fancy dresses, which he sold to tourists. When his sculptures became bigger and more imaginative they were brought by local gallerys.

In 1991 he participated in the annual Heritage Exhibition of the Zimbabwe National Gallery and afterwards sold his pieces directly to numerous private collectors and galleries in South Africa, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA.

In the year 2000 Washington was one of the only two Zimbabwean sculptors invited to participate in the International Changchun Sculpture Symposium in China. There he produced his biggest sculpture to date entitled Angel Protecting Lover reaching three meters high and made from white marble. It earned him a much acclaimed honorary Changchun International Sculpture Diploma, the friendship and admiration of the Chinese people, as well as the respect of the other fifty participating international sculptors.

It is the dream of Washingtons to participate in more workshops and sculpture exhibitions in Europe and the USA.

It would make me happy if people on every continent could watch me while before their eyes I transform a rock into a beautiful sculpture of lasting beauty.

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