Modern stone sculptures from Zimbabwe, various lectures and films about and from Africa, a „Day of Africa“ and an Open Air Concert Stage for African Artists from here and there. All this is „A Touch of Africa“ in the small town of Immenstadt in the south of this region. Since yesterday, the African continent becomes the focus of the town center. Till the 22nd of July a variety of events and school projects are planed to attract attention to the beauties as well as the problems of Africa. Therefore not only African artists, traders and chefs will pe present, but also various foundations and representatives of NGOs.
The impressive stone sculptures of private collector Inge Wiegand examine especially works of contemporary artists from Zimbabwe and „their complex cultural ethnological characteristics and background“, many from the so called Tengenenge Sculpture Community. „The deep religious feeling combined with the inborn sense for capacity and rhythm“ … ;-) … „qualifies the Shona, a group of the Bantu, to create a new African culture. They draw their inspira- tion from nature, be it an animal, a tree, a stone or the earth – everything is alive and has a soul“ (translated according to the official pamphlet).
The artists mostly use serpentine, granite or the South-African verdite for carvings. „In Guruve, minds once swayed by traditional African beliefs are now swayed by the edicts of a number of independent Christian churches whose worshippers wear white and conduct their services under trees on the side of the road. It is these beliefs and their practices which constitute the non-material culture of the Guruve area – the original home of many of the Tengenenge sculptors and painters. These beliefs have a profound effect on the artists’ work.“, writes Celia Winter Irving (In: Skyhost, Air Zimbabwe’s inflight magazine, Vol 2003, via Tengenenge).
Take a look at the program in Immenstadt. And let the African Days of Exotism begin. „Welcome to the Mountains“, „Ethiopian coffee, Nigerian jewelry and exotic spices“, tinkering around with drums and getting your makeup done by nomad Kaouritel from Niger while listening to the African Song Singers … get „A Touch of Africa“.
