In Praise of Women: Stone Sculpture Created or Inspired by the Women of Zimbabwe

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In Praise of Women: Stone Sculpture Created or Inspired by the Women of Zimbabwe

July 12 - July 31, 2004

Stone sculpture from Zimbabwe has over the past few decades taken the world by storm. The 2003 In Praise of Women exhibition won the accolades of art critics, academics and the media. The tour was viewed by over 40,000 people during its presentation in Uppsala, Copenhagen, London and Oxford. The sculpture was declared by Newsweek as "the most important new art form to emerge from Africa this century." Michael Shepherd, Art Critic of the Sunday Telegraph felt that it was..." extraordinary to think that of the ten leading sculptor-carvers in the world, perhaps five come from a single African tribe, the Shona." The BBC praised the exhibition as one that "talks about equality of the sexes and races, having respect for other people, and allowing people dignity." The 2004 tour -Stockholm, Copenhagen, Toronto, London- will be exhibited in Toronto at the WARC Gallery, Women's Art Resource Centre. The WARC Gallery showcase will feature 28 sculptors, including selected work from critically acclaimed first generation master of stone sculpture, Ms. Locardia Ndandarika, who will be present as guest artist. The exhibition will also include select work submitted for an annual nationwide Zimbabwean competition Young Woman Sculptor Award. This award provides cash prizes, tools, a six month financial fellowship, and the place for a young guest artist, Ms. Ennica Mukomberanwa to travel with this year's four cities tour. The sculpture competition and the tour organizers are part of the African Millennium Foundation, a non-profit trust established to internationally promote, financially support, and artistically encourage the young women sculptors of Zimbabwe. "The work is extraordinary," says exhibition manager Amy Meyer..." the humanity and intensity of the work will stun the viewers!"