An early work from Tengenenge master sculptor Bernard Matemera. Matemera finds his inspiration in his dreams. He was haunted by 3 fingered beings, a residual myth or memory, of a tribe that live in the northern part of the country. His massive pieces have a bewitching character, halfway between the comic and the tragic". His cultural past played a large role in determining the kind of sculpture he made and his reference were often so oblique that one did not understand the meaning of the sculpture one loved. His sculptures reflect the generosity of Shona ontology and accommodate beliefs in a manner best suited to the individual. His work is far from representation of Shona beliefs, customs, and observances which are well established. Uninfluenced by the market place Bernard's work is uncompromisingly African. His subjects are derived from people and animals he had seen in the past and from dreams. Bernard is acknowledged for the grotesque power in his sculpture. Through such sculpture, the world has learnt a great deal about the values and the social and religious beliefs of the Shona people. Matemera's sculptures have consistently portrayed a great part of our nation's complex aesthetical values and the symbiotic relationship between the people and their natural environment, the relationship the present generation has with its ancestors and indeed the bond between the artist and his community.

Excellent

32 x 12 x 14 in

180 lb