Zuva
Gallery celebrates 10 years of African art
Zuva Gallery, one of the foremost art galleries in
the world featuring African art, will celebrate its
10th anniversary in conjunction with World AIDS Day
on Dec. 1.
As
part of the celebration the gallery will host renowned
Zimbabwean stone sculptor Dominic Benhura for an evening
benefitting the Dominic Benhura Library, for AIDS
orphans, which he established in his hometown of Murehwa,
Zimbabwe.
An
exhibit featuring more than 20 pieces of stonework
created by Benhura, along with an artist’s talk and
video presentation will be part of the evening’s activities,
said Lisa Paulick, gallery director. In addition,
during the month of December, 20 percent of the proceeds
from the Benhura Exhibition at Zuva Gallery will be
donated to the library.
Benhura,
born in 1968 in Murehwa, Zimbabwe, has become one
of Africa’s best known contributors to the world of
contemporary art. His style captures in stone facets
of human activity and emotion.
Highly
respected by his peers, Benhura has opened his studio
to some of the more promising young artists in his
country including Eddie Masaya, who will be present
for the celebration.
“He’s
actually coming to Arizona with Dominic,” Paulick
said. “He’s going to stay and work in the gallery
for two months.”
Samkele
Mhlaba is another young artist who Benhura has taken
under his wing, Paulick said.
“We
have his some of his work on display,” she said. “He’s
a very innovative artist. His work is very unusual.”
Stanford
Derere’s work will also be on display at Zuva Gallery.
“He
does very interesting work,” Paulick said. “He mixes
natural stone, ebony and ironwood. All three artists’
work will be on display.
Paulick
noted that Benhura and Masaya will be giving sculpting
demonstrations at Zuva Gallery daily from noon until
2 p.m.
Benhura
has exhibited his work in leading galleries all over
the world and was invited to be a feature artist at
the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix.
One
of Benhura’s career milestones came in 2003 when he
made a major presentation of his work to Nelson Mandela
in Johannesburg, which at the time was the first major
work of art ever presented to and accepted by Mandela,
said Tom Obert, Zuva Gallery owner. Also in 2003 he
made a presentation of his work to Stephen Lewis,
the United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Zuva
Gallery is the premier venue in the United States
for Benhura’s work, Paulick said.
“For
the past several years Zuva Gallery has exhibited
and placed more of Dominic’s work in important public
and private collections than any gallery in the world,”
she said.
Zuva
represents many internationally recognized African
artists and is dedicated to promoting greater understanding
of Africa and its people and culture.
Besides
celebrating Zuva Gallery’s 10th anniversary, the evening
gives the community the opportunity to meet Benhura
and to purchase from a special selection of his work
to benefit the HIV/AIDS fight in Africa.
Executive
Chef Michael Pieton of The Boulders Resort has created
a medley of African inspired hors d’oeuvres to complement
the occasion including Grilled Mozambique Style Peri‑Peri
Shrimp, Frikadelle (South African fried meat balls)
and Moroccan Spiced Beef Kabobs. South African wine
will also be served.
The
reception and talk will take place from 6‑7
p.m. on Dec. 1 at The Boulders Resort in the Juniper
Room at el Pedregal. The sculptor show will open at
7 p.m. in Zuva Gallery.
Zuva
Gallery is located in el Pedregal, 34505 N. Scottsdale
Road, on the southwest corner of Scottsdale Road and
Carefree Highway.
For
more information about Zuva Gallery or the Benhura
Exhibition and reception call (480) 488‑6000.
