Chapungu: Stories in Stone

 Giant stone sculptures set amid the plants and flowers of Columbus’s Franklin Park Conservatory create the beautiful setting of Chapungu: Stories in Stone. This larger than life exhibit explores the themes of nature and the environment as depicted by the artists in Zimbabwe, Africa.

The Franklin Park Conservatory 

1777 E. Broad St. 

The 50 original works of art came to Columbus direct from the Chapungu Sculpture Park in Zimbabwe, Africa. This is the first time the works have been displayed in the United States, according to Roy Guthrie, founder of the Sculpture Park and curator of the exhibit.

Shona stone family sculpture

The sculptures depict the family and village life of the Shona people and express universal themes of birth, death, and family roles common to all people, such as a Grandmother fetching water, or a child hugging his mother, who holds another infant, as if to say, “me too, Mama.” Wishes, prayers and tradition are prevalent in the magnificent sculptures by the artists, many of whom are self-taught, and worked with family members to create these hand-carved works from serpentine, verdite, opal, cobalt and springstone.

The dramatic stone sculptures range in height from three to ten feet, and getting them into the Franklin Park Conservatory was quite a job Guthrie said. Giant cranes were necessary to bring in these 2,600 pound elaborate sculptures.

Many of the artists will be at the Conservatory during the exhibit, and special programs and tours are available throughout the exhibit which will remain on view until July 4, 2005. Roy Guthrie will tell the fascinating story behind the moving and evocative sculptures on Sunday, December 19, at 3 p.m.