Ronika Tandi

A sculpture by Ronika Tandi is displayed at Benediktbeuern Abbey.

Ronika Tandi (born 1975) is a Zimbabwean sculptor.

She is primarily known for her abstract stone carving, often with a rough, unpolished surface that retains the natural texture of the stone.^[1][2][3][4]

Tandi was born in Kariba, Zimbabwe, on the banks of Lake Kariba, in 1975.^[1][2][5] Many of her siblings also became stone carvers.^[1]

She studied at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe's BAT workshop from 2007–08.^[2][6] Fellow Zimbabwean sculptor Eddie Masaya was an important influence early in her career.^[5][7]

In 2006, Tandi's work was displayed in the garden of the German Embassy in Harare.^[5] She splits her time between Zimbabwe and Germany, where she runs the Little Zim Art of Africa Gallery.^[2][8][4] In 2011, she represented the sculptors of Zimbabwe at the opening of the 54th Venice Biennale.^[2]

Along with the leaders of the Emerald Hill School for the Deaf, where she has volunteered since 2007, in 2011 Tandi founded the Shungu Arts Centre. The center is dedicated to employing the school's students and preparing them for a career in the arts.^[1] She is also the founder of the affiliated Takunda Shungu Trust, which helps educate deaf children and other children with disabilities, and promotes work by deaf artists.^[9][10][11]

References

1. Makoni, Jane (2012-05-01). "Stone carving centre gives work to deaf children". The Zimbabwean. Archived from the original on 2012-07-31.
2. Zimoyo, Tafadzwa (2018-10-22). "Sculptor takes four-years of meditation". The Herald. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
3. "Aus Afrika nach Hembach". Nord Bayern (in German). 2020-05-25. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
4. Lozina, Kristian (2016-08-09). "Kulturbotschafter aus Simbabwe in Hohenroth". Main Post (in German). Retrieved 2021-02-04.
5. "Ausstellung AFRIKA vom 9. Juni bis 31. Juli in der Foyer-Galerie". Gemeinde Rednitzhembach (in German). June 2011. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
6. "Zimbabwe: Economic Woes a Passing Phase". The Herald. 2007-11-28. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
7. Monda, Tony (2015-09-17). "Gender from an African perspective in stone sculpture". The Patriot. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
8. "Alpirsbach: Der Stein wird zum Partner". Schwarzwälder Bote (in German). 2016-04-29. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
9. Mögele, Bastian (2018-11-18). "Neues von Takunda Shungu Trust". ZimRelief e.V. (in German). Retrieved 2021-02-04.
10. "Shungu Trust for Deaf Youths to hold art exhibition". Daily News. 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
11. "Schlossparkrunde: Bernhard "Bam" Epple will 219 Kilometer laufen". Kreisbote (in German). 2020-08-25. Retrieved 2021-02-04.