Absa L’Atelier winners announced
Absa – in partnership with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA) – announced on Tuesday the four category winners of the Pan-African Absa L’Atelier initiative. Chelsea Selvan (South Africa), Gandor Collins (Ghana), Taofeek Badru (Nigeria) and Malebogo Naticia Molokoane (South Africa) were the top winners of the Pan-African-led art competition in each of their categories.
After receiving a record number of registrations, hundreds of eligible entries were judged by an independent panel of adjudicators. An ambassador was then chosen from each of the three groups that were set up as follows:
The 2022 Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto winner is Malebogo Naticia Molokoane from Rustenburg, in the North West.
Molokoane received a three months residence in the Cité Internationale des Arts, from April to June 2023, and a travelling exhibition throughout South Africa that will first open in the Absa Gallery in 2024.
Opening of the ISANG postponed until 27 October 2022
Iziko South African National Gallery has been closed for renovations since May 2022. Originally, the plan was to re-open with an exhibition in celebration of the Gallery’s 150 year anniversary on Heritage Day, 24 September 2022. This has been postponed to October, with the gallery citing “latent infrastructural challenges” as the reason for the extension of the temporary closure, “a consequence of the Gallery being an ageing heritage building.” Dr Bongani Ndhlovu, Executive Director, Iziko Museums of South Africa says:
ISANG 150, and the exhibition Breaking Down the Walls, gives Iziko Museums an opportunity to reflect on its collections and to initiate a healthy dialogue through our national estate. As a colonial construct, the Iziko South African National Gallery has progressively interrogated its collection practices. This exhibition spotlights key acquisitions in our collections, raises debates about specific eras in our country’s history and how artists have attempted to reflect on our colonial, apartheid and anti-apartheid pasts as well the post-1994 moment. Through this exhibition, we invite members of the public to contribute to this constructive engagement.
Upgrades to the Atrium in the Iziko South African National Gallery, 2022. ©Iziko Museums of
South Africa/N Pamplin.
New project space opens in Cape Town
Under Projects is a new artist-run space co-founded by Brett Seiler, Guy Simpson, Luca Evans and Mitchell Messina. Last week, they opened the gallery at 79 Roeland Street with a group exhibition called Pilot, featuring works by Unathi Mkonto, Matty Roodt, Guy Simpson, Jared Ginsburg, Vusumzi Nkomo, Lebogang Mogul Mabusela, Luca Evans and Wendy Fredriksson.
