Man Turning Into A Snail
Itayi Mupumha

Cobalt Stone

46cm (h)
31cm (w)
10cm (d)

SOLD

"Magicians can turn people into things as a competition."

The belief is strong among Zimbabweans that their n'anga (witchdoctors) can change their form to other creatures, and that they can cause other people to change their shape too. Here, Itayi is suggesting that they might do this just to amuse themselves, as a game when they get together. Not a party you'd want to go to!

Cobalt stone is the local Zimbabwean name given to this predominantly purple and green type of serpentine. It does not, as far as we know, contain any cobalt but it may originally have been found near a cobalt mine. Nowadays, it is mined near Chiweshe, in northern Zimbabwe.