At the age of 10 Dominic Benhura began to assist his cousin, the sculptor Tapfuma Gutsa, an soon after to create his own works. Many early formative years were spent at Chapungu Sculpture Park and he is today regarded as the cutting edge of Zimbabwe sculpture with one-man exhibitions in Zimbabwe, Australia, Belgium, Holland, Germany and America.
His subject matter is extensive including plants, trees, reptiles, animals and the whole gambut of human experience. Benhura has an exceptional ability to portray human feeling through form rather than facial expression. He continues to lead by experimentation and innovation and has created many memorable works including Euphorbia Tree, Our H.I.V. Friend, Swing Me Mama, The Dance of the Rainbirds, and Lazy Sunday.
DOMINIC BENHURA, born in 1968, is in a league of his own. He began his career in sculpture at the age of ten when he studied under his cousin, Tapfuma Gusta, a Master Sculptor. Dominic sold his first piece professionally to architects at the age of twelve. His work is bold and daring and he captures balance and movement both physically and emotionally. His prime motivation is to explore new ideas, concepts, techniques and methods and to express and communicate powerfully simple ideas. Nature, family and the relationships with his children are his main inspiration for his sculptures.
Dominic often combines materials such as steel, wire and stone to create a beautiful mixed medium, which works together in harmony. The stone itself is selected for its luminosity and color, and is carved and ground down and reconstructed to create a striking plant or human form, for which he has become world renowned. Dominic’s work has been included in many major exhibitions both in Zimbabwe and internationally. He has also been involved in workshops in Botswana, USA, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom. He now works out of his home and is passing down his knowledge and skill to many international artists and local apprentices.
EXHIBITIONS:
- Millesgarten Museum,Sweden
- Yorkshire Sculpture Park, United Kingdom
- EXPO 92, Seville, Spain
- Loveland Colorado, USA
- Trinkhaus Unt Burkhardt, Dusseldorf
- Bank Sparkasse Wuppertal, Germany
- Helsinki, Finland 92
- Galerie IM Schlossgarten Gauengaloch, Germany
- Westfalen Park, Dortmund
- Shona Sol Gallery, Santa Fe NM, USA
- Barbara Ackerman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Kastel Henkenshage, St. Oedenrode, Holland
- Kastel Alden Biezen, Bilzen, Belgium
- International Workshop Remise Academy, Denmark
- Workshop, Ft. Canning, Singapore
- Modern African Art, Berlin, Germany
- Chapungu Sculpture Park, Harare, Zimbabwe – permanent exhibition
- Award of Distinction- Annual Mobil Oil Zimbabwe Competition ’97
- Workshop and Exhibition in Hamburg, Germany ’98
- Judging the Annual Mobil Oil Sponsored competition for the National Gallery of Zimbabwe
- Workshops at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens- South Africa
- One man show at Chupungu gallery- Australia ’99
- Judging the Women’s Annual Competition ’99
- Representative of Zimbabwe at the Standard Bank National Arts Festival- Sothe Africa
- Artenium Gallery- Hamburg, Germany
- Edinburgh Arts Festival, Scotland ’00
- Group Exhibit at Kew Gardens, England with Chapungu Gallery
- Group Exhibit at Artspace 2000, England
- One-man Exhibition at Kubatana Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
- One-man Exhibition at Expo 2000, Hanover, Germany
Click on this link to watch DOMINIC’S BBC INTERVIEW!
See footage of Dominic at his Studio: