Proud father mentors young artists

By Juliette Coulter

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will host internationally renowned stone sculptor Dominic Benhura from June 18 to 27 as part of its Summer of Sculpture exhibit, ZimSculpt. Benhura will give daily talks at 2 p.m. at The Marketplace (in the garden), and 25 of his exquisite statues will also be on display and are available to purchase.

ZimSculpt features the talent of several contemporary Zimbabwean artists with more than 100 hand-selected, exquisite sculptures artfully displayed throughout the garden. These contemporary pieces, created by the Shona people of Zimbabwe, are carved from various types of serpentine and semi-precious stone, often weighing tons, and can be as large as seven feet tall. ZimSculpt runs through August 8.

Known as one of the leading Zimbabwean stone sculptors, Benhura has been sculpting since he was a young boy, learning the skill from his cousin, master sculptor Tapfuman Gutsa. Benhura sold his first piece when he was 12 years old. 

According to the ZimSculpt website: “He is in a league of his own … 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.” 

When he became a father, Benhura began sculpting mothers and children interacting, and these are some of his more popular pieces. 

He said, “These pieces don’t have faces, so they can be from any culture.” 

Founder of Dominic’s Studio in Harare, Benhura nurtures budding artists, from young children to adults, by mentoring them and providing them work spaces. His sculptures are collected and displayed in gardens and museums around the world, including Italy, Belgium, Germany and Zimbabwe. In the U.S., visitors can see his pieces at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Benson Sculpture Garden in Colorado and at the Dallas Children’s Theater. He has done one-man shows and gallery and museum shows internationally. “His hammer and his chisel find the playfulness in stone,” according to TRT World.

Jim Ryan, Dallas Arboretum board chairman, said: “We are pleased to welcome Dominic and his fine work to the Dallas Arboretum. He’s carved a career in sculpture, and we invite the community to meet him and see his statues.”

Visitors may purchase any of the sculptures on display in the garden, as well as the ones created by the onsite artists in The Marketplace, which is located in the Dallas Arboretum’s Pecan Grove. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the sculptures and items in The Marketplace supports the Dallas Arboretum.

ZimSculpt is supported in part by the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, The Dallas Mavericks and Texas Telecom Credit Union. 

Tickets must be pre-purchased online or by calling 214-515-6615. Wearing a face covering is required for all guests 5 years of age while visiting the Arboretum, unless medically unable to do so.