Swing Me Muma, Clever Monera, Springstone, Unique, 53cm high by 35cm wide by 7cm deep, Children, Family, Female, Figurative, People, Women, Love sculpture

This piece by Clever Monera is a unique Shona sculpture carved from springstone, it depicts a mother holding her child low in front of her, arms stretched forward in a playful, tender gesture. Both figures wear dresses, their forms smoothed and polished to highlight flowing lines. In contrast, their hair remains uncarved, left as natural stone, adding texture and grounding the work in raw material.

The sculpture is deliberately presented as a flattened image, best viewed from select angles. This approach emphasizes contour and silhouette over mass, creating a dynamic visual effect. From the front, the forms appear almost like a drawing in stone, their outlines crisp and expressive. Viewed from the side, the piece becomes slim and compact, reinforcing its image-like quality.

Light plays an important role in the presentation. Polished surfaces catch highlights along the mother’s arms, the folds of the dresses, and the child’s rounded form. Shadows deepen around the natural stone hair, adding contrast and depth. The interaction between polished and raw surfaces enriches the composition and enhances its storytelling.

Monera combines strength of material with lightness of subject. The gesture of the mother lifting her child conveys joy and intimacy, while the flattened format gives the piece a striking, almost graphic presence. Swing Me Muma blends playfulness, tenderness, and artistry, making it both visually engaging and emotionally resonant.