APPLETON, WI.- Appleton Art Center (now The Trout Museum of Art) presenst its August exhibit, Masterpieces of Modern Sculpture from the Shona Tribe, Zimbabwe, August 6 – 28, 2010. This is the Appleton Art Center’s inaugural exhibit since the completion of significant facility renovations.

The exhibit features works by members of the Shona Tribe of Zimbabwe, created from a variety of stones, including opal and serpentine. In addition to the Shona Sculptures, an installation featuring recent work by local artists, Rob Neilson, Charles Mitchell and Sherry Lawson Gates, entitled Houdini Trees is also on display.

Exhibit admission is $6 for adults and $4 for students and seniors. Members receive free admission, as well as children under 10 (when accompanied by an adult).
Appleton Art Center’s building renovations include a new entrance and lobby, along with climate control and security system updates which bring the facility up to Association of Museum standards.

The Shona Works
This strikingly modern style of stone sculpture emerged out of Zimbabwe, South Africa in the 1950s. Zimbabwe, whose name means “the house of stone,” has produced talented stone carvers for centuries; however, the modern stone art of the Shona tribe marked a fascinating renaissance for Zimbabwe’s art production.

Shona artist use simple chisels to shape their sculptures, which are typically carved from serpentine, a class of rock that varies in color and hardness. Though the Shona sculptures are rooted in an ancient practice, they are quite modern and have inspired prominent artists such as Pablo Picasso.

The Shona tribe is the largest ethnic population in Zimbabwe, and their sculptures can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Musée Rodin in Paris, Queen Elizabeth II, the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds, actor Danny Glover and other astute art collectors.

The Appleton Art Center (The Trout Museum of Art)
The Appleton Art Center was established in 1960 with a mission to promote, teach and nourish the creation and appreciation of the visual arts. The activities, which allow the Appleton Art Center to fulfill its mission, include exhibitions, educational programming and special events such as the annual Art in the Park artist exhibitor festival, lectures, workshops, family fun days, musical performances and an annual exhibit for local artists. The Appleton Art Center will formally become The Trout Museum of Art as of September 9, 2010, in honor of Dr. Monroe E. and Mrs. Sandra Trout who has generously donated their 150-piece art collection to the center, along with an endowment to preserve, protect and promote the collection.