Ukama Gallery opened its doors on Granville Island in February 2015. Specializing in original stone sculpture, the gallery represents over 200 highly skilled emerging and world-renowned artists from Zimbabwe. Working with local partners, each unique work of art is personally selected with an eye towards capturing the remarkable variety of styles that flourish in an artistic community that ranges across the country, from well-established artist communities and co-operatives, to the many hard-to-reach rural areas. In this way, the Ukama Gallery collection is curated to convey a real sense of the important contribution that Zimbabwean sculptors are making to modern art.

 

Complementing the sculpture are paintings and mixed media works from outstanding Canadian artists. The combination of expressive and imaginative artwork adds colour and texture to the very tactile impressions of the sculpture. Side by side, these complementary art forms, originating in very distinct artistic communities, have something to say about the essence of the human artistic instict and experience.

 

Ukama is a Shona word that is used to describe the close personal relationships that unify an extended family. We chose the name Ukama for our gallery because we hope that these beautiful works of art will help to foster individual relationships with Africa, a sense of involvement rather than detached appreciation.