Frank McEwen describes Bernard Takawira in the following terms:"The younger brother of John, he is an intellectually-advanced thinker who, apart from a fine instinct for creativity, has the most lucid understanding of the true position of art in the community."

Bernard Takawira was born in 1948 in the mountainous and beautifulNyanga district of Zimbabwe, the third son of six children. His father spent much time away from the family with his work and themother assumed the dominant parenting role. A powerful and highly respected person Mai Takawira served as an enormous influence on thethree sons and was well-known for her deep knowledge of Shona myths.Her natural gift for story-telling perhaps more than anything mouldedthe talents and hearts of her sons, as their later work was to beguided by dreams and the magical in all forms of life.

After leaving school, Bernard Takawira trained as an agriculturaladvisor to the Government, but he was encouraged to begin carving byhis elder brother, John, who was fast becoming a rising star at FrankMcEwen's Nyanga workshop, Vukutu. As a result he began to spend anyavailable free time at the sculptors' community. Powerful inspirationand endorsement of his creative yearnings was provided by the ruggedand beautiful landscape as well as by the extraordinary 'brotherhood'of artists that had gathered there. Rather than being a minorinterest in his life, sculpture soon assumed a role of dominatingimportance and in 1977 he gave up his job with the Government andbegan sculpting full time. His accomplished and purposeful sculpturebelies great struggle within its creator: a struggle between hisChristian beliefs and his traditional Shona upbringing (whichprovides much motivation for his work); a struggle between his greatphysical presence and power, and his desire to express the moresensitive, fragile issues of life; and the constant struggle with thedemands of some of Zimbabwe's hardest stone in his attempts toportray some very finely-conceived themes. In order to understand hissubject matter and expression, it is important to be aware of theseelements of the artist himself. Perhaps the most striking aspect ofBernard Takawira's sculpture, and method, was his constant search fornew ways to express his ideas - and these ideas frequently shifted.Not happy to accept views at face value, he was well known for hisquestioning approach to everything, be it a philosophical idea, amoral dilemma, a spiritual issue or a practical problem. The range ofsubject matter in his work invariably dealt with themes such aspatience, humility, enquiry and integrity.

Despite his success, Bernard Takawira was not content for hissculpture to remain static. He was extremely demanding of himself andagonised over his work in order to better communicate his ideas andthemes to a growing audience. He has been exhibited widely, both inZimbabwe and overseas, and to great critical acclaim. His choice ofsubject matter and his continuing ambition to portray such ideas inincreasingly sophisticated and searching ways ensured the creation ofsculpture to inspire artists and non-artists alike, worldwide.

Bernard takawira passed away in June of this year after a shortillness. His untimely death has robbed Zimbabwe of a very talentedand committed artist.