| Africa is Dying Under Our Very Eyes :: Article About Murungo Local African Art Dealer Promotes Ethical Trade By: Matt Ross & Chris O’Brien 2002 A national fuel shortage has made motor transportation nearly non-existent. The young art dealer from Canada had few options. His newly purchased, 1-meter sculpture has to be moved from its birthplace in a small Zimbabwean village to the nation's capital Harare. The 5-kilometre hike, an otherwise short bus-ride, feels like forever. On the unpaved roads of this southern African country Shaun O’Brien knows one slip could easily damage the Black Serpentine rock and render the artwork, valued at thousands of dollars in western markets, worthless. His hired help, a local lad of 14 years, was initially eager for
the day's work. In an area where unemployment hovers at 60 per cent,
any work is good work. Nonetheless the boy, with aching limbs and
wet with perspiration, begins to question his willingness as the
grueling work wears on.
Now in its second year, Murungo Ano Penga is building an envied
reputation in an Edmonton market district known for its eclectic
boutiques and cosmopolitan crafts. Second only to the intensity of the sculptures themselves is O’Brien’s resourcefulness at obtaining them. Traveling half way around the world, O’Brien seeks the remote African villages that are home to some of the greatest creative minds on the continent. “The trick,” he reveals, “is to avoid giving the artist any pre-conceived notion as to what I’m looking for. That way I’m able to experience an enormous range of artwork. Eventually, something grabs me. That’s when the negotiations begin. Sometimes the purchasing process alone can take days.” In keeping with a personal philosophy and in concert with growing
public sentiment, O’Brien By contracting Zimbabwean craftsmen O’Brien contributes, in his own way, to the country’s commercial success and cultural self-respect. "We in the west tend to think, because these are comparatively poor countries, that something is wrong with them. I’ve seen how world governments and non-government organizations have failed these people. Maybe it’s time we rethink our approach. Maybe even learn from them.” Successful business dealings in many African countries require a great deal of trust. Village artisans are keen to find a ready market for their products, but they’re leery about the intrusion of white foreigners eager to profit at their expense. O'Brien has been forced to develop personal relationships with the artists he's encountered in Zimbabwe. “Without that kind of personal connection,” he says, “They won’t give you the time of day.” Less than a quarter-century since achieving independence from the
United Kingdom, present political situations are still uneasy for
much of Africa’s white minority. In Zimbabwe, O’Brien
was keenly aware of escalating tensions prior to the controversial
re-election of Prime Minister Robert Mugabe early in 2002. Observers, blaming the bleak balance of exports and corruption at the highest levels of government, have predicted up to half the country’s rural population could starve to death this year. Faced with that ominous prospect, the sale of Black Serpentine and Verdite stone carvings assumes a disproportionate importance. Most western art dealers tend to avoid the time consuming process of relationship building by hiring locals to act as middlemen or agents. Too often, according to O’Brien, these agents take advantage of the artists by refusing to compensate them fairly for their months of intense work. "Unless I know who made it, I don't buy it,” he says,
“And that can be tough because I'm cutting out the middleman
who, I know, is also trying to make a living.” “What I learn from these expeditions is incredible. It’s an experience of art and culture, but also of self-discovery. I’ve survived some scary moments. The payoff is the education. By the time I get home I’m up-to-date on the country’s politics and economy; I know what’s out there and how much it’s worth; and I’ve learned something new about finding and collecting these amazing pieces. I’ve become an expert in African art. You won’t do that by staying home and hiring agents.” By dealing directly with the artist O'Brien better understands the creator's interpretations. Labouriously chiseling and scraping semi-precious stone, the sculptor develops a pure motivation that transcends simple remuneration. Many of these stones, such as 3.5 million year old, non-porous Verdite or the extremely dense Spring Stone native to Zimbabwe, are incredibly hard. In fact, some will register an eight or nine on “Moh's Scale of Relative Hardness.” Comparatively, the world’s hardest stone – a diamond – registers only slightly higher at ten. Over the months and even years of sculpting one piece, the artist develops a vision - foreseeing its destiny. Imagining the palaces it will adorn and the majesty of those who will admire it, he builds a relationship with the artwork as it emerges, ever so slowly, from its almost impenetrable raw material. Eventually, as in all inspired art, each piece conveys its inspiration. Like gazing into a campfire, the observer drifts, pondering the humanity it ultimately represents. In O’Brien’s store, at different times of the day, perceptions vary with the sunlight. It is true art. Personally, O’Brien contends, he has no favourite. “It depends on my mood,” he says, “They all speak differently and the communication depends on how I choose to react to it. I don’t get too attached because, eventually, each piece finds a new home. I try to keep a professional perspective.” There is one piece, though, that even O’Brien admits to a
particular fondness for. It bears a man's profile on one side, a
woman’s on the other. It is positioned strategically in front
of a mirror. Regardless of how or why these commodities find their way to market, O'Brien considers them indicative of the region’s commercial potential. It is one small way in which a struggling nation seeks to establish global appeal, which, by any accounting, is a tall order indeed. As such, Zimbabwean art is becoming the lifeblood for a people
O'Brien feels privileged to support. |
We
at Murungo Ano Penga Inc. are dedicated to the promotion of fair
and equal trade with the hundreds of artists from the various Tribes
of Africa. We have taken the interest in promoting the wonderful
works of the different regions and educating a new market of people,
who otherwise may never see these wonderful works of art. We feel
that through this type of promotion combined with educating people
of the origin of the art, people from totally different worlds can
enjoy and take pleasure in each other’s culture and heritage.
We have focused specifically on Shona sculpture from the Shona tribe
of Zimbabwe. The Shona Sculpturing is an art form that has been
passed down from elder to youth for thousands of years. We have
taken it upon ourselves to bring this beautiful art to a new market
in order to promote the new generation of Shona artists, and help
provide them with a stable income in their rapidly deteriorating
economy. 
Zimbabwe
- Labouring under the blistering heat of an African sun, two men
painstakingly hand-transport a 145-pound stone carving. 
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