Bernard Sakarombe

Bernard was born in Makoni, near Rusape in eastern Zimbabwe. He attended Inyati High School in Rusape in 1992, then worked on Chibaya farm for two years. In 1994 he moved to Harare, where his father was working.

In 1996 he met the sculptors Washington Musonza, Johnathan Mhondorohuma, Chrispen June and Lameck Bonjisi, who encouraged him to start stone sculpting. His formative years were difficult, as he had no experience in artistic expression. He worked alongside these well-known artists until he discovered a talent of his own, and protected his distinctive style from the influence of others.

Many of his ideas come from his family, and from his experiences in the bush. As a cattle herder at his rural home, he would see and talk to old wise men, listening to stories about the separation of body and spirit. He saw people wearing animal skins, hunting and gathering, and the bones of animals, which led him to create his own sculptures, such as animal skeletons.

Bernard uses springstone, serpentine and opal stone in his sculptures, and specialises in figures, animals and abstract forms. In his spare time he enjoys listening to stories from older people about the Khoikhoi and San people, and travelling to places like the Chinhoyi Caves, museums and national parks.