Overview
Fungai Benhura is a visual artist whose work is made up of multiple layers of different materials. Each layer is very important as it represents history that's being buried and rediscovered. Benhura’s work questions the notion of being at a stage of creation or destruction.
Picture any building being constructed and completed only to be destroyed to reveal the various materials that have been used in the process of it being erected. The end product unveils a painting that has a character and personality of its own. The artworks are created through a hands-on process involving accumulation, painting and removal. They effortlessly shift between abstraction and figuration while prioritising the ornate, textured, and detailed.
This process of constructing and deconstructing means that the painting is being reconstructed into something else, more like in archaeological restoration.
The choice of materials tends to be indiscriminate thereby making the experience of the build-up to the painting process an exciting one. Benhura usually gathers whatever materials are available including cut outs of posters, paper, tissue paper, Indian ink, oil pastels, metal panels, beer cans, coffee sacks or anything else to utilise. The paintings have a playful quality and don’t quite reveal everything that’s in them. Benhura hopes that this deliberate ploy gives an enduring viewing experience as seemingly new things appear.
These paintings have a powerful ability to associate; they suggest palimpsests, changing architecture, archaeological restoration, and the reconstruction of histories. Benhura’s artworks arrive through repeatedly being buried and rediscovered, destroyed and recreated, and it is through this approach the painting practice develops its own distinct character.
Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾ç the artist
Fungai Benhura (b. 1990, Harare) graduated from The Royal Academy Schools in 2024 and previously studied at Camberwell College of Arts.
Viewing the exhibition
The exhibition will be open to the public until Sunday 27 April.
Opening Times: Saturdays and Sundays, 10.00-17.00
The exhibition is occasionally unavailable, for instance during graduations.
It is advisable to contact the Porters' Lodge in advance of your visit (01223 335900).
Access
This exhibition is on display in the Combination Room on the first floor of our main building. It has step-free access with a lift and there is an accessible toilet located on the first floor of the building.
Art Exhibitions at Wolfson
Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çhas an established programme of exhibitions and artistic events which take place throughout the year and are framed by its modernist architecture, beautiful landscaped gardens and embedded into academic life.
Showcasing the work of both renowned international artists and innovative emerging artists, with the aim of stimulating reflection, discussion and debate, the art on show is enjoyed by both the academic and wider community. Our exhibitions are open to the general public and are visited by scholars, guests and visitors from around the world.
You can find out more about exhibitions at Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çon the Arts page.
