Fanizani Akuda

**Fanizani Akuda** (1932–2011), dem sanso know am as **Fanizani Phiri**, na he be Zimbabwean sculptor. Na he be a member of de sculptural movement "Shona sculpture" (spy Shona art), although he den sam odas of ein recognised members na dem no be ethnically Shona. He work initially for de Tengenenge Sculpture Community, 150&nbsp;km north of Harare near Guruve, wich he join insyd 1966.

## Early life den education
Fanizani Akuda, an ethnic Chewa na dem born am insyd 1932 insyd wat na then be Northern Rhodesia. He receive no formal schooling den insyd 1949 he move go Southern Rhodesia insyd search of work. Dis lead am to employment as a cotton picker, bricklayer, den basket weaver: by 1966 na he dey work as a farm manager. However, for terms of ein later success as a sculptor insyd stone, de most significant move cam insyd dat year wen na dem offer am work by Tom Blomefield, a white South-African-born farmer of tobacco wey ein farm at Tengenenge near Guruve get extensive deposits of serpentine stone wey ebe suitable for carving. Na Fanizani initially be a quarryman buh after a period living insyd de artists dema community he take up sculpting: dey find dis e provide a worthwhile financial return, he cam turn a full-time sculptor alongsyd oda well-known figures such as Henry Munyaradzi.
## Later life den exhibitions
Na Akuda den ein wifey Erina get seven kiddies. Dem lef Tengenenge insyd 1975 during de civil war, wey dem take residence insyd Chitungwiza. After Zimbabwe ein independence insyd 1980, Tengenenge Sculpture Community re-establish einself as a major sculpting centre buh Fanizani no return der. He continue dey sculpt independently til ein death insyd 2011.

Insyd 1988, na dem highly commend Fanizani ein sculpture *Snake Man* insyd de Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition, de annual exhibition of de National Gallery of Zimbabwe. Anoda of ein 1988 works, *I know you have stolen my eggs* dem picture insyd de catalogue for de touring exhibition wey visit European venues wey dey include de Yorkshire Sculpture Park insyd 1990.

Akuda be probably best known for ein ‘whistler’ figures. Insyd dese stylised heads, de prototypical face plus ein slit eyes be given a thin mouth line plus a simple centrally placed borehole. Dis dey give de ‘whistlers’ an acoustic trait: by dem dey tap a thumb for de sculpture ein mouth top, one fi create a characteristic sound from de sculpture ein lips.

Olivier Sultan say of ein work*"His characters are tender and humorous, constantly smiling, with mysterious slit eyes. They are often formed in pairs or groups. To Fanizani, family represents a poetic world, moving in its simplicity and its tenderness."*Fanizani die for 5 February 2011.

## Solo den group exhibitions
*1967 to 1997: many Annual Heritage Exhibitions at the National Gallery, Harare
*1970 Museum of Malawi, Blantyre
*1980 "Tengenenge Stone Sculpture from Africa", Feingarten Galleries, Los Angeles, USA
*1981 "Art from Africa", Commonwealth Institute, London, England
*1982 Janet Fleisher Gallery, Philadelphia, USA
*1983 *Images in Stone*, Earl Sherman Gallery, Camerillo, California, USA
*1985 "Zimbabwean Stone Sculpture", Kresge Art Museum, Michigan, USA
*1986 Irving Sculpture Gallery, Sydney, Australia
*1989 Zimbabwe op de Berg, Foundation Beelden op de Berg, Wageningen, The Netherlands
*1990 Contemporary Stone Carving from Zimbabwe, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, UK
*1993 Galerie Knud Grothe, Charlottenlund, Denmark
*1995 *Ointmoetting in Hamonie*, Galerie de Strang, Dodewaard, The Netherlands
*1998 *Zimbabwe stenen Getuigenissen*, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
*2000 Kew Gardens, London, England
*2005 *The Legend of Zimbabwe's Stone Sculpture: Fanizani Akuda*, solo retrospective, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
*2006 *Master Sculptors of Zimbabwe*, Group exhibition, Italy

## References


## Read further
* Mor F. (1987) "Shona Sculpture". Jongwe Printing and Publishing Co, Harare. 
* Winter-Irving C. “Stone Sculpture in Zimbabwe”, Roblaw Publishers (A division of Modus Publications Pvt. Ltd), 1991,  (Paperback)  (Cloth bound)
* Winter-Irving C. “Pieces of Time: An anthology of articles on Zimbabwe’s stone sculpture published in The Herald and Zimbabwe Mirror 1999-2000”. Mambo Press, Zimbabwe, 2004, 
* Joosten, Ben. Sculptors from Zimbabwe: the first generation. Dodewaard, Netherlands: Galerie de Strang, 2001. 400pp.