international sanctions against Rhodesia’s white government, then led by Ian Smith, who had declared Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965, and tobacco was no longer able to generate sufficient income. Appropriately, Tengenenge means "The Beginning of the Beginning" — in this case of a significant new enterprise. First generation sculptors of the 20th century Further details of the establishment of the "first generation" of new Shona sculptors are given in the individual biographies of its leading members: Bernard Matemera, Sylvester Mubayi, Henry Mukarobgwa, Thomas Mukarobgwa, Henry Munyaradzi, Joram Mariga, Joseph Ndandarika, Bernard Takawira and his brother John. This group also includes the Mukomberanwa family (Nicholas Mukomberanwa and his protegees Anderson Mukomberanwa, Lawrence Mukomberanwa, Taguma Mukomberanwa, Netsai Mukomberanwa, Ennica Mukomberanwa, and Nesbert Mukomberanwa). All these artists have created works that have been exhibited worldwide and several of are now included in the McEwen bequest to the British Museum. During its early years of growth, the nascent "Shona sculpture movement" was described as an art renaissance, an art phenomenon and a miracle. Critics and collectors could not understand how an art genre had developed with such vigor, spontaneity, and originality in an area of Africa which had none of the great sculptural heritage of West Africa and had previously been described in terms of the visual arts as artistically barren. Fifteen years of sanctions against Rhodesia limited the international exposure of the sculpture. Nevertheless, owing mainly to the efforts of Frank McEwen, the work was shown in several international exhibitions, some of which are listed below. This pre-independence period witnessed the honing of technical skills, the deepening of expressive power, use of harder and different types of stones, and the creation of many outstanding works. The "Shona sculpture movement" was well underway and had many patrons and advocates. 1963 New Art from Rhodesia, Commonwealth Arts Festival, Royal Festival Hall, London 1968-9 New African Art: The Central African Workshop School, MOMA, New York (Toured in USA) 1969 Contemporary African Arts, Camden Arts Centre, London 1970 Sculptures Contemporaine de Vukutu, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris 1971 Sculpture Contemporaine des Shonas d’Afrique, Musée Rodin, Paris 1971 Gallery 101, Johannesburg 1971 Artists Gallery, Cape Town 1972 Shona sculptures of Rhodesia, ICA Gallery, London 1972 Galerie Helliggyst, Copenhagen 1972 MOMA, New York 1979 Kunst Aus Africa, Berlin. Staatlichen Kunstalle went to Bremen and Stockholm 1979 Feingarten Gallery, Los Angeles Post-Independence Since independence in 1980,