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Legendary Sculptor Fanazani Akuda Dies @ 78

Fanizani Akuda one of Zimbabwe's first generation stone sculptors passed away on the 5th of February 2011. Born on 11th November 1932 in Zambia, Akuda was 78 at the time of his death.

 

A Zambian by birth, Fanizani migrated to Zimbabwe in 1949 where he worked as a farm foreman, basket weaver as  well as a bricklayer before relocating to  a farm near Tengenenge, seventeen years later  where he met Tom Bloomfield.  This meeting marked the beginning his journey as a world class Shona sculptor at Tengenenge Art Community.

Fanizani’s sculptures cross cut themes that include; human figurines, families, animals and the famous slit eyes, a theme that he has become synonymous with his works. A popular belief in the fine arts community is that he was one of the few sculptors in the world who successfully imparted feelings to stone and drew in the observer.  Other elements defining his work included curved and rounded statuettes.


Akuda’s talent in sculpting was recognized the world over. His works were shown during the subsequent years at exhibitions in South Africa, Malawi and South America. Thereby gaining great popularity as a Zimbabwean sculptor and hence was able to earn his livelihood as a full-time artist. Today his creations are amongst the best-known and most liked icons of Zimbabwean stone sculpting, his works  graced the art galleries and workshops  in various countries including Germany, Denmark, USA, Holland, Sweden, Cuba or Australia to mention just a few., USA, Australia, Netherlands, , UK and France.


Some of the highlights of his career include the International Sculpture Symposium, Borkel en Schaft, Netherlands (1990s) Featured in book 'Sculptors from Zimbabwe: The First Generation' by Ben Joosten (1991) 'The Legend of Zimbabwe's Stone Sculpture: Fanizani Akuda', Solo Retrospective, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe (2005) 'Master Sculptors of Zimbabwe', Group exhibition, Netherlands (2005) and Italy (2006).


Up until his death Fanizani was living and working in Chitungwiza.  His name was closely associated with Tengenenge and his work is featured in many of their exhibitions.


 May his soul rest in eternal peace.