There is a magical land of woods and wild animals, of mountains and crashing 
waterfalls, of singing streams and green grassy slopes. This land, in the North of Zimbabwe, called Tengenenge or the `beginning of the beginning’, is where the story of these sculptures began. Sculpted from the stone called serpentine (found at a depth of 3 km under the earth, formed over two and half thousand million years ago), these sculptures are rich in folklore, family and nature, myths and legends, magic and spirits.
A selection of these exquisitely carved unique Tengenenge Sculpture Art pieces was collected by Mon Van Der Biest on his travels in Africa. These Sculptures are collector’s items and easily translate into art for indoor and outdoor exhibits and exotic decorations. The Sculptures are now withIncentive Foundation.
Mon Van Der Biest is an Indophile, whose India connect began 30 years ago 
when he visited India and adopted three Indian children and established ‘Namaste India’ in Belgium to showcase Indian handicrafts. In this, he set up a business which would provide what he saw as the much-needed Indiaconnect for his adopted children. When he saw the Tengenenge sculptures in Zimbabwe, India was top-of-the-mind recall for him. He imported some 100 pieces into the country for display at small and large exhibitions to acquaintIndia with the magical sculpture art. Mon Van Der Biest also brought the 4ft2in high piece in Serpentine called “Statue” toIndia and it is now with Incentive Foundation in Gurgaon.
All the sculpting is done by hand and this amalgamation of art and stone has created such works of power and stature that today the world recognises them as an expression of contemporary African art and a collector’s item. Each piece is unique and bears testimony to the artists’ creativity and love of their land.
