Square Chikwanda


Square Chikwanda is a Zimbabwean sculptor, living and working in Harare, Zimbabwe. He first learned his art from his father, also a Zimbabwean sculptor.

Short Biography

Born in Mvurwi, Chikwanda moved to the Tengenenge Sculpture Community with his father at the age of seven. There his father taught him at an early age to wash and polish stone. He finished primary school and learned the art of sculpture to become a full-time artist at the age of thirteen, developing his own style. At the Community he had several students, of whom Jonathan Mhondorohuma became a good friend. In 1993 he left the community to work in Harare at the Chapungu Sculpture Park. At this Park, Square continued expanding his artistic know-how, which made him one of the leading Harare sculptors. Square now works on his own in Chitungwiza, a Harare suburb. His work has been exhibited worldwide.

Style

Square's sculptures deal mostly with portraits and animals e.g. "Blind Portrait", Berlin, Germany or "Hippo", Tengenenge, Zimbabwe. His figures are generally very square and stylised : arms, legs and fingers are often square and show hard lines; noses have knife sharp edges. His sculptures remind indeed the art-deco figures of the 1930-1940 and are always polished to a high degree of perfection. He uses local Zimbabawean stone, e.g. Opal, Lemon Opal, Springstone, Verdite and Cobalt.

Footnotes

Recent Exhibitions