Zimbabwe: Tengenenge Founder Blomefield Calls It a Day

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) 28 December 2007 12/29/2007

TOM BLOMEFIELD, the founder of Tengenenge Arts Centre, has resigned as chairman of the arts centre after more than 60 years at the helm. Internationally acclaimed sculptor Dominic Benhura takes over as chairman while Nimrod Phiri retained his post as managing director. At 81, Blomefield bade farewell to the Tengenenge community and fellow artists this week saying he was leaving a "happy man". "It was my wish that as I'm getting old this place should not die but continue to grow. I realised I needed someone with the vision and energy to take Tengenenge to greater heights. "From this day, Dominic Benhura is the new chairman and I'm leaving a happy man. I'm not just leaving you but I'll continue assisting you whenever I can through my international contacts," Blomefield said. He described Benhura as a talented artist will strong leadership qualities leader and a hard worker. "I have no doubt that Benhura is more than capable of taking this community to another level. I urge you to work with him because he has brilliant ideas," he said. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Benhura accepted the honour with humility pledging his support for the community. "We need to pool our resources and work together for the good of the arts and the community. As an artist, I am aware of the problems that we face and the best we can do is to share. "There are first generation sculptors among us and we can learn from each other," he said. He, however, admitted that it was no easy task but was prepared to take up the challenge. Already Benhura runs Dominic Studios in Greendale where he helps aspiring young artists with stone and tools for sculpting. Titus Chipangura, the director of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, said it was encouraged that Benhura had been appointed heir to the Tengenenge throne. "As the arts body and representing Government we will give you full support on this project. We encourage artists to work together and uplift the good name of Zimbabwean sculpture," he said. Celia Winter-Irving, an art writer and friend to Blomefield, said she was happy that good things had happened to both of her friends. "This has been a good thing and we expect good things to happen from good friends. Tengenenge has been a home to me and I'm happy that Dominic will continue to develop the art community," she said. Blomefield founded Tengenenge when the tobacco industry collapsed during the Rhodesian regime. Tengenenge has been his home ever since sharing his passion and vision for stone sculpture with local artists. Names like Josiah Manzi, Boyd Chikwanyanga, Nimrod Phiri, Victor Fire and Maudy Muhoni, to mention a few, have become synonymous with Tengenenge. The arts community is synonymous with the development of a major school of Shona stone sculpture in Zimbabwe. It is situated some 150km north of Harare and is considered one of the cradles of Zimbabwe's Shona stone sculpture. Close to 1 000 sculptors -- both men and women -- work and live as a community at the arts centre where sculptors wait for prospective buyers to visit and buy their products. Some visitors from as far afield as Holland, America, the Netherlands and United Kingdom come to enjoy the serene environs, watch the sculptors at work and buy souvenirs. Earlier this year, four native American artists from Santa Fe in New Mexico visited the centre on a cultural exchange programme and spent four days working on stone. Meanwhile, Children from Tengenenge Art Community were treated to a belated Christmas party hosted for them by Marie Imbrova of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Zimbabwe. The children, aged between three and five years, were also presented with shoes donated by Bata Shoe Company in Gweru, fruits and other goodies worth millions of dollars. "The shoes were given by Bata Shoe Company after I requested an order from them. The company was good enough such that I did not pay for the shoes but instead they told me they were donating them and I appreciate their effort," Imbrova said. She has been involved in charity work for the children and her latest donation was part of the pledge she made during her visit at Tengenenge early this year. The children, whose parents are mainly sculptors at the art community, sang and danced, obviously enjoying every minute of it. Enditem