REFLECTION

Reflecting the internal and the external Artist Proof Studio

artistproofstudio.co.za

Phillipah Rumano printing progress

Artist Proof Studio proudly presents Reflection, an annual Third Year Graduate Exhibition showcasing artworks by the class of 2022.

An exhibition that immerses itself through the process of internal and external reflection. The title Reflection in this context refers to the personal internal processes of the nine featured students, each contemplating and mirroring their identities in relation to what is deemed socially acceptable.

The collective, explores themes around spirituality, sexuality, assigned gender roles, social expectations and norms within the Pan African context.

Informed by their various backgrounds, they delve deeper into their individuality through various printmaking techniques including linocut, reduction, etching, monotype and screen-print to name a few. As young South Africans living in a post COVID world, they question their place in society, in pursuit of a sense of meaning and certainty in an uncertain world.

Artist Proof Studio is a multi-faceted community-centred organisation, established in 1991. We train talented individual not only from South Africa but across the African continent. The organisation specialises in arts training, print collaborations, partnerships, sales and distribution of prints.

APS graduates are better positioned to become leading art practitioners in the market and are proudly represented art fairs, and reputable art galleries throughout the country and internationally. Over the years we have seen innovation and an evolving printmaking culture that pushes the printmaking boundaries. The class of 2022, who began their journey in 2020, are the next generation of printmakers to embark on this creative journey.

Samukelo Matomela, uGugulethu, Linocut (Color Reduction), 35cm x 53cm, 2022

Lesego Ditshego, Within & Without, linocut, 41.1cm x 27.5cm, 2022 Vusimuzi Nkosi, Farmton, Linocut, 43.3cm x 29,7cm, 2022

Amid COVID, the students faced unique challenges like no other generation before them, with new laws introduced such as social distancing, wearing of masks and encouraged stay indoors. This meant our studio was not the known vibrant space where students share creativity but was now forging into a hybrid learning. The spirit of the organisation did not be wither, instead innovative methods to learn printmaking were introduced, through online learning and as circumstances developed so did the curriculum, teaching methodology and innovating techniques. The willingness and courage of the students propelled them to seize the opportunities and adapt.

The unique journey experienced by this group has played a role in moulding who they are today.

The collective invites the audience to engage in the subjects dealt with in the art and be part of their journey through the printmaking medium, each selecting a technique to convey this.

The exhibition is a concentration of these experiences through the nine artists’ individual introspection.

Boitumelo Lethoko (b. 2000, Johannesburg) “Since the passing of my grandmother in May, I have been forced to find a way forward. The physical creation of my body of work is an action of cathartic release.”

Dhelmon Lante Elie (b.2000, Johannesburg) “My body of work is informed by what I believe in and commit my life to. I believe that creating images is a gift that I need to use to share the messages that I believe are important to live a better life.”

Jason Langa (b. 1997, Johannesburg) “…In my artworks I am exploring concepts of misplacement, solitude, migration, and freedom as well as the sense of Journey…”

Lesego Tatiana Ditshego (b.1994, Johannesburg)

“…My body of work is an exploration of aspects of my identity. My work expresses the more intangible parts, such as the sensitivity and depth of my emotions linked to history and the society that I live in…”

Vusumuzi Nkosi printing progress

Phillipah Rumano (b.1988, Harare)“ …My work is a personal and intimate exploration of my life experiences. In human fragility, I am intrigued by how I manage to survive amidst the chaotic toughness and roughness of the world…”

Samkelo Matomela (b.1996, Kwa-Zulu Natal) “…The butterfly motif in my work, is as a symbol which recognises, changes and conquers circumstance – morphing into the better self, as I wish for the people and communities around me…”

Thembisile Masemula (b.1999, Daveyton) ‘“Being beautiful doesn’t imply having a ‘perfect’ body, it is much more than that. I am focusing more on inner beauty. I see beauty as embracing every inch of your body exactly as it is. No one is perfect…”’

Tshegofatso Phore (b. 1993, Johannesburg) “In my work I explore the vulnerabilities that I feel I am denied having as a black South African man. Society does not enable men to be powerless, helpless or ‘at the mercy of’ without being belted with shame or failure.”

Vusumuzi Nkosi (b.1996, Mpumalanga) “I must believe in my future and never let the past hold my future, through that process of never forgetting where I come from.”

2022 NEW BREED ART COMPETITION

My art is my voice

newbreedart.co.za.

Keabetswe Mosetlhe

“As a deaf person, I am not able to communicate with my family. My artwork describes my family and the challenges that I have when I want to express something. They do not know sign language and normally I have to do lip reading to communicate with them. Communication with my family is a real challenge for me”, said Keabetswe Mosetlhe (translated from South African Sign Language), the Overall winner of the 2022 New Breed Art Competition and the Public Choice winner.

Keabetswe entered her fragile, yet masterfully executed, ceramic figures entitled “Signing” . She is a 22-year-old deaf student from Thaba Nchu studying at the Motheo TVET Colleague. The judges agreed that Keabetswe deserved the highest accolade in this year’s competition and was awarded R50,000 in prize money as the Overall winner.

The public was allowed to vote and determine the 2022 Public Choice Award winner, and with more than 2200 votes cast by 1600 people, Keabetswe won her second award and prize money of R10 000 for being the public’s favourite artist in the 2022 competition. The CEO of Phatshoane Henney Attorneys, and spokesperson for the New Breed Art competition, Lesley Mokgoro, announced the winners of the 2022 competition at the Oliewenhuis Art Museum on 03 November 2022.

The second-place winner, Katleho Lesige won R20 000 for his work titled “Surviving Lefatse” , a striking photograph casting an unfiltered spotlight on the continuing scourge of genderbased violence.

The two Merit Awards were awarded to Kamohelo Gift Sebonyane, for his mixed media work on canvas entitled “Let’s break the silence of the past”, and also Kwandiwa Dlwati, for his two works, one in ceramic and the other in mixed media, which deals with topics relating to the role of women in rural areas and the economic impact of load shedding on rural communities. Both these winners were awarded R10 000 in prize money. The New Breed Art Competition was established in 2016 as a unique visual arts competition for Free State artists. Now in its sixth year, the competition provides an excellent platform for Free State artists to showcase their talent and benefit from the prizes and national exposure the competition provides. For the competition exhibition, the judges carefully selected 27 works by 24 new breed artists to form part of the competition exhibition. From these 24 new breed artists, the judges were tasked to select the winner, runner-up, and 2 merit award winners, while the public was allowed the opportunity to vote for and so determine the Public Choice winner.

“Despite interesting debate and frank conversations about the subject choices of our 2022 artists, when it came down to selecting the winners, the judges were on the same page in their decisions. With the winning works dealing with tough topics and conversations, the judges felt inspired by the bravery and integrity of the artists and their choice of issues, expressing satisfaction at how the artists have in their art captured their lived experiences”, remarked Mokgoro. This year’s eminent judges were Nathi Gumede, assistant project manager at the Art Bank of South Africa, Storm Janse van Rensburg, Senior Curator and Head of Curatorial Affairs at Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town and Melissa Goba, Independent curator and panel convener of the MTN and University of Johannesburg New Contemporaries Legacy Panel.

Kamohelo Gift Sebonyane, Merit award winner

Katleho Lesige, Second-place winner

Kwandiwa Dlwati, Merit award winner

Keabetswe Mosetlhe, Peoples Choice Award

Kamohelo Gift Sebonyane, Let’s break the silence of the past, Mixed Medium on Canvas, Merit award winner

Kwandiwa Dlwati, Facing the dark, mixed media. Merit award winner Katleho Lesige, Surviving Lefatse. Photographic. Second-place winner

Kwandiwa Dlwati, Rural Woman, Ceramics. Merit award winner

Nathi Gumede spoke on behalf of the 2022 judges and remarked that the judges felt they needed to highlight that their decisions were heavily reliant on the need to highlight artworks that spoke to prevalent social, economic, and political issues. They also emphasized the importance of the artist making art that reflected society and provided a form of a mirror for us as a society to look into and review as it were ourselves.

Mokgoro thanked the competition partners for the support they continue to provide to the competition and their passion for art and the artists.

The 2022 competition partners were:

• Oliewenhuis Art Museum • Art Bank of South Africa • Free State Art Collective

A special mention and thanks were also given to Absa Bank Limited for sponsoring an inspiring series of engaging online webinars with key South African artists under the New Breed Art banner.

For more information on the competition and the winning artworks, visit newbreedart.co.za.