Washington Msonza

“Many Zimbabweans inherit skills of art from their elders and forefathers.  Art is what our life is about.  We do art, dream art, eat art and talk art.  We posses the spirit which gives us power to perform beyond expectations”. 
-Artist Statement

Washington Msonza was born in 1966, and is the oldest of five brothers and three sisters.  He started his schooling near his hometown of Makumbe in the Domboshava district of Zimbabwe, and went on to finish his secondary education at Chitungwiza Secondary School in 1987.

While living in Chitungwiza, a city about 20 miles south of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, Washington spent most of his spare time watching his brother-in-law Albert Mamvura work.  Albert had set up his own workshop after learning to sculpt from his cousin, the great master sculptor Nicholas Mukomberanwa.

In 1988, Washington joined Albert as his student and assistant.  He was a very capable student and soon started sculpting his own pieces in the evenings.  Additional experience was gained by working and watching other famous sculptors like Locadia Ndankarika, Biggie Kapeta and Gedion Nyanhongo.  Washington’s early pieces were small, he sculpted  mainly women in fancy dresses which he sold to tourists.  When his sculptures became bigger and more imaginative, they were eagerly bought up by local galleries like Nhukutu Gallery, Chapungu Sculpture Park and Springstone Gallery, some of the most prominent galleries in Zimbabwe.

In 1991, he participated in the annual Heritage Exhibition of the Zimbabwe National Gallery and afterwards sold his pieces directly to numerous private collectors and galleries in South Africa, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA. Now Washington  primarily works on commissioned pieces for collectors around the world

In 2000, Washington was one of only two Zimbabwe sculptors invited to participate in the International Changchun Sculpture Symposium in China.  The Symposium attracted over 50 sculptors from around the world and lasted from July to September.  There he produced his biggest sculpture to date entitled “Angel Protecting Lover” reaching three meters high and sculpted out of white marble.  It earned him a much acclaimed honorary Changchun International Sculpture Diploma, the friendship and admiration of the Chinese people, as well as the respect of the other 50 participating international sculptors.