MEET BLESSING NGOBENI, STANDARD BANK YOUNG ARTIST 2020

The 2020 Standard Bank Young Artist for Art, Blessing Ngobeni, is proof that above all else, innovation and perseverance will see you come out on top, no matter your background.

Born in Tzaneen, Limpopo, Ngobeni lived through a difficult childhood and subsequently ran away to Johannesburg at the age of 10. As a teenager, he became involved in petty crime and was arrested. It was during his time in jail that Ngobeni engaged with art through the Tsoga (Wake Up) Arts Project and decided to become an artist.

Today, Ngobeni is known for his innovative style of painting as well as his drive and ability to tackle hefty subject matter through his work, frequently calling into question disparity, corruption, and structures of power and domination throughout history.

Discussing his journey thus far, the artist cites his tumultuous past as both a marker for growth and an example of the ability to succeed as an artist regardless of your academic or economic background.

“From then until now so much has happened,” says Ngobeni. “From the Reinhold Cassirer Art Award in 2012, to The IMPACT Award and the Mail&Guardian 200 young South Africans mention in 2013. Travelling, meeting great artists and heroes through my career. The journey that my creative practice has taken me on came as a complete surprise. It’s become a living dream, you know?”

Another important moment in Ngobeni’s career came when a significant collection of his works was stolen from a gallery in the city that was selling his work. Up until that point, he had been working primarily in the realms of realism, focusing on portraits and cityscapes. After his work was stolen, it was nearly a full year before Ngobeni painted again. When he did, it was the beginnings of the style he’s so well-known for today.

“That’s when I started moving into a new style – especially the drips, which were almost symbolic of my own tears,” recalls Ngobeni. “The collaging was introduced to my work shortly after and that’s the kind of work that won me the Reinhold Cassirer award.” Since then, the artist has extended his painting practice into sculpture, performance, installation, video, and sound, with the latter having seen him work with this year’s SBYA for Jazz, Sisonke Xonti.

For Ngobeni, winning the SBYA Award for Art is the opportunity of a lifetime.

“It means everything to me. I don’t have the words for it yet, but it means to be proud and to be given an opportunity to represent my Africanism, to represent Mzansi. These are the opportunities to share what we think about our country and our people.”

Considering his own journey to becoming an artist, Ngobeni also runs two separate art prizes for emerging artists – the Blessing Ngobeni Studio Art Prize Award and Initiative, a series of workshops and a group show.

“Looking at my background and how I managed to break into the industry, it was because I was encouraged by those who don’t see education as a barrier,” says Ngobeni. “I won awards because of that and I decided I needed to offer the same kind of structures to other young artists like me. I was motivated by my own life rather than by being institutionalised, which is not to say that if you don’t have a certain degree or qualification, you won’t make it. I’m an example. I can make it into the system.”