Press Archive 1996

"Fifty ways to sculpt an elephant", Gallery ZAK, Fürth, Bavaria, 24.05. – 18.09.1996

[Fanizani Akuda (1932 – 2011)]     [Bernard Matemera (1946 – 2002)]

Abendzeitung, 1996, -WIE-

A trunk in a teapot

Elephants made of stone in Fürth’s Africa Art Gallery ZAK

"Fifty ways to sculpt an elephant" is the title of the latest exhibition in Fürth’s Gallery ZAK – Contemporary African Art (Königstraße 132 until September 18): In fact, here are gathering 50 stone elephants that nearly overwhelm the gallery all from one "stable" the Zimbabwean sculptor community Tengenenge that is doing everything to revive this great art tradition of the small South African country.

The people of Tengenenge – something between a colony of artists and arts academy – have two important neighbours: Elephant herds and mountains full of rock that appeals to the sculptural process – spring stone, serpentine and opal. The "wealthy" artists can not dispute the fact that the elephant motif seemed lost in the souvenir industry they have found an infinite number of new approaches. As different as the prices (between 350 and 36.000 Mark!) are the motives in Fürth.

Many have singled out individual elements of appearance and essence of the animals: Their power and massiveness (monstrously exaggerated), the mighty ears, the huge feet.

Those who have chosen an elephant in Zimbabwe as Totem, may never again eat elephant meat – otherwise he will be transformed into such one, the myth says. Such metamorphism can be found multiple times: people in transition to the elephant, or at prayer, they would like to be such one. Beast men galore: flying and dancing. Elephants as king or as an angel, sometimes even as fish or even pig and one is about to turn into a teapot.

All this is without any preliminary drawing, spontaneously entrusted to the stone (the artists select the stone by listening to its sound). Through treating the smooth surface of the stone with artificial roughening the elegance has disappeared but when beautiful “grain” exists it is heartily highlighted.

It must be tremendously stimulating, to have such neighbours.