Burkina Ballet Dancer - Arms to Side

Produced by artisans from Burkina Faso in hot cast foundry bronze, in their natural green shading.

Height 16 cm

Burkina Faso, a country renowned for it€™s artistic traditions, has produced bronze female sculptures for many years, using the traditional lost wax method which craftspeople have used for centuries all over the world.Sculptor Issouf Bonkoungo has built up a successful business and has now trained 20 other artists to be able to make these beautiful sculptures, now presented by Cove Gallery. Generally made on a dirt floor, a wax replica is placed in a mould near to the furnace which is regularly pumped to build up the intensity of the heat. Molten bronze is then poured into the mould causing the wax to melt and leaving the bronze forming a perfect sculpture. Patination then begins to produce the wonderful green and bronze shades. No two sculptures are ever exactly the same. These are truly hand crafted products and each piece comes with a signed certificate of authenticity. Workers are well looked after, and each has a voice in the future of the company. The craftspeople are paid for every piece they make on a daily basis, which enables them to build homes and ensure their children receive a good education.