The historic art of the Shona, Ndebele and Tonga peoples, captured in its places of origin.

A heritage collection of photographs taken at a time when these symbolic art forms were still being made and used amongst Zimbabwe’s more remote villages and homesteads, a time when art objects were important symbols of cultural continuity and meaning.

Taken over a period of three decades by the artist Duncan Wylie, the photographs capture how widely art featured in daily life, expressed in sacred and functional art forms. An art that was becoming harder to find as time passed. In his words, this is ‘above all a work of transmission, and a valuable insight for the non-African world towards a deeper appreciation of African art forms, and a wider perception of the possibilities of art; a key to a world few have experienced.’

An ancient artistic heritage, which continues in the vibrant, transformative, diverse art scene of Zimbabwe today.