She leads with her chin. Coster Balakasi tipped this girl's head so far back that her lips arrive before the rest of her, chest out, hair gathered into a textured knot behind. The serpentine is deep green, flecked throughout, and polished until the curve of her back shines.
Balakasi began carving in 1988, as a schoolboy working alongside artists including Dominic Benhura, then spent five years as assistant to Cosmos Michener before going out on his own. Within a year he had earned a residency at the famed Chapungu Sculpture Park and his first international exhibition in the United Kingdom, with shows in Spain and the United States to follow.
"Proud Girl" is 12 inches tall.
