Rare exhibition for fine artists

statement that art runs in the veins of Zim­babweans. The work shown from communi­ties underlies it’s beauty as elemental, sculp­tural form.
A third dimension is contributed by the work of an American artist based in Zim­babwe — Carol Jenkins — who has donated a collection of fine prints, which have been inspired by African form.
Through her empathy with the forms evolved by Zimbabwean stone sculp­ture, Jenkins extracts an elegant line which expresses both the physical vol­ume and the philosophical intent of Zimbabwe’s stone art.
There are great pieces by the late Mozambi­can artist Valente Ngwenya Malangatana, who depicted violence and suf­fering of his country during its struggle for independence in 1975 from Portu­gal and the sub­sequent 16-year civil war between the ruling party Fre­limo and the rebel group Ren­amo through his large-scale boldly coloured paintings.
Malangatana’s works can be seen at the National Museum of Art of Mozambique as well as in gal­leries and private collections in Angola, India, Nigeria, Por­tugal and Zim­babwe.
Another artist exhibit­ing is stone sculptor Joseph Muzondo, who was born in Masvingo in 1953 and was taught sculpting by his uncle. He was the first student to join the reformed BAT Workshop.
By the early 1980s his studies in Zim­babwe and abroad — Great Britain and Austria — led to experiments in other media, most notably printmak­ing, but also textile design and painting.
During 1983 he studied and taught in Tan­zania and attended the Interna­tional Sum­mer Academy in Aus­tria, return­ing to Zim­babwe to win a num­ber of impor­tant awards for stone sculpture in 1983, 1984 and 1986 as well as graphics in 1988.
From 1982, turning back on the established forms of stone sculpture common in the country, he developed a unique and very per­sonal style, often combining separately carved stone pieces and other elements into a single work by positioning or using metal pins. Put together by Tambira Arts, as a part of their outreach to communities, the exhibi­tion is a fund-raiser for community projects pro­viding for orphaned children.
“We hope to raise the funds to put the roof on a family home built for children at risk in the community of Nyamahoko.
“The new venue for Tambira Arts has been generously provided by Dominic Benhura, in the shape of a gallery in the centre of his well known studio for sculptors.
“The gallery is thus surrounded by sculp­ture and sculptors at work, and that has a lively buzz as a place where art happens, Gill Artherstone, a trustee of the Communities-Can-Do-It, a non-governmental organisa­tion, which has worked with the Dominic Benhura Foundation on a number of occa­sions.
“This gift by Dominic Benhura to the artists of communities expands his long tra­dition of holding out a helping hand to those who in our society who are less fortunate, Artherstone said.
Nyamahoko is an orphanage for over 100 children and its founder Oswold Matanhire graced the opening of the exhibition includ­ing former health minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, big fan of art.
The exhibition is open daily and will run until the end of October.