Zimbabwe sculptor visits Big Bend

MOSES LAKE — When Alexander Chitungo sells a piece of artwork, he feels like a piece of his soul goes with it.

Chitungo visited Big Bend Community College on Tuesday to talk with students about contemporary Shona artwork and demonstrate his sculpting skills. Students watched as he carved a sculpture of a dancing couple.

"When you don't have your soul within the stone, you're not working with the stone," he told students.

Chitungo is visiting from Zimbabwe to conduct a two-week workshop at Central Washington University. He is stopping at community colleges to talk with students and provide demonstrations during his stay in the United States.

Assistant Professor of Sculpture Donna Stack said Chitungo sees the final piece as already in the stone. His job is to figure out what's inside and to set it free.

Stack is impressed with his ability to create twists and turns in the stone.

She met him in 2005 when he gave a stone-carving demonstration and lecture. She was interested in him providing a two-week workshop to the students. While he is here, he is traveling to nearby colleges.

Chitungo said others try to mimic his work and sell it to collectors under his name, but they get caught before the sale is complete.

"They try, but they never get far," he said.

During his demonstration he allowed a student to try his hand at chipping away at the stone.

"That's a lot of work," the student said.

Chitungo can spend 12 hours in a day working on a piece. His young son stares in through the window of his work space to watch him create a piece. The steady rhythm of chipping away by hand with the tools reminds Chitungo of drumming. He said the rhythm keeps the lines straight in the grooves he creates in the stone.

Stack said Chitungo's work is on display in Randall Hall at Central until the second week of March.