Joseph Ndandarika was a Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...

an sculptor known for his figurative works.

A member of the Shona tribe

Shona people

Shona is the name collectively given to two groups of people in the east and southwest of Zimbabwe, north eastern Botswana and southern Mozambique.-Shona Regional Classification:...

, Ndandarika was the grandson of a highly respected n'anga

N'anga

Among the Shona people of Zimbabwe, a n'anga is a traditional healer who uses a combination of herbs, medical/religious advice and spiritual guidance to heal people...

, and spent some time as his apprentice before becoming a sculptor. He joined Frank McEwen

Frank McEwen

Francis Jack "Frank" McEwen, OBE was an English artist, teacher, and museum administrator. He is best remembered today for his efforts to bring attention to the work of Shona artists in Rhodesia, and for helping to found the National Gallery of Zimbabwe...

's Workshop School in Harare

Harare

Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...

 in 1962, beginning as a painter before moving on to sculpture. He was married for a time to the sculptor Locardia Ndandarika

Locardia Ndandarika

Locardia Ndandarika is a Zimbabwean sculptor.A native of Bindura, as a girl Ndandarika made models in clay using traditional methods. In 1964 she married Joseph Ndandarika, divorcing him in 1978. During their marriage she learned more about sculpture, and later turned to it full time...

, and his children Ronnie Drigo and Virginia Ndandarika are also artists. Ndandarika also served as a teacher and mentor

Mentor

In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...

 to a number of artists, including Jonathan Mhondorohuma

Jonathan Mhondorohuma

Jonathan Mhondorohuma is a Zimbabwean sculptor.A native of Mvurwi, Mhondorohuma attended primary school in his hometown, also completing his O levels there. In 1989 he was invited by his friend Square Chikwanda to come work at the Tengenenge Sculpture Community; he spent the next six months there...

.