The 2016 best artworks
Spira Tlhankane | Friday July 15, 2016 18:00
While the competition continues to grow every year in terms of participation, the judges have also indicated that the quality of submitted artworks has also improved.
During the National Art exhibition recently, one of the judges Reginald Bakwena said the competition has improved so much this year. He acknowledged that the pre-selection at the regional level was also good. “There is growth in the value of artwork and the quality was even better,” he said.
Bakwena said as judges, they were guided by a certain criterion and there were terms of reference to look at. Among other aspects, he said the judges were looking at the first impression. “The artwork should catch a viewer’s eye at first instance,” he said. Bakwena said they were also looking at originality in the artworks. “On top of that we were looking at craftsmanship and that is what the artists demonstrated in an artwork,” he said.
He also highlighted aspects like concept development. Bakwena admitted that there was a problem in coming up with a storyline. “There was no connection in some pieces as everything was scattered all over,” he said. Bakwena said most artists overused the Bot50 and Zebra theme without putting across the main concept.
He commended categories like photography, painting, basketry, ceramics and drawing for showing improvement. Bakwena said areas like sculpture were very weak with low participation. “Print-making was lacking craftsmanship and these aspects need to be addressed,” he said. He encouraged artists to do their work in time and invite people to critique the artwork before submission. “We should improve those areas for the coming year,” he said.
The winners were finally announced and Thabo Keorapetse won the best in photography followed by Gaseitsewe Moruakgomo in second while Gothusang Lesego took the third prize. In an interview with Arts & Culture this week, the first time winner said he was grateful for the exposure he will now get.
For a self-taught photographer from Francistown, Keorapetse said he has always been an artist from a young age. His award-winning picture entitled “Togetherness” shows an old man’s clasping his hands together. Being a black and white picture, Keorapetse said he wanted to document the old man’s life in time. “The picture carries more essence and we can see the old man’s life through it,” he said.
The 22-year-old Keorapetse said the old man’s hands are scarred with scratches showing the man’s endurance through years of struggle. He said he took the picture during a Patlo ceremony last year.
In the drawing category, Mogomotsi Selei won the first prize followed by Omphile Sefako and Ukotora Kandjou respectively. Selei, who also won the first prize in the regional competitions, told Arts & Culture that winning the first prize is an inspiration to work harder in the future. “The medium that I was working with is hard and my concept has never been done before,” he highlighted. Selei’s pictures show children from rural areas happily using a laptop. “The picture is trying to encourage people that if we teach children our heritage and culture, then they will uphold it for the future,” he said.
Mmoloki Matlale walked away with the first prize in painting followed by Benjamin Wadingalo and Michael Mooki on second and third positions respectively. Entitled “Okavango rainbow”, Matlale’s work is a colourful painting of the Okavango Delta. In an interview with Arts & Culture, Matlale said it was his first time to win the first prize. “I am not really excited for this. I would if I had done something extraordinary,” he said. Matlale said his work has improved compared to the artwork he has done before. He said he will not compete again in the nearby future so that he could give others a chance to shine.
In ceramics, Emmanuel Senamolela won the first prize while Gofaone Keasiile and Mmala Oefile took the second and third prizes respectively. In an interview with Arts & Culture, Senamolela said it was his first attempt in the competition and he won at first try. “Because I am a new entrant, I decided to come up with my own concept in order to attract my customers,” he said. The artist who won the best ceramics category at TAYA awards last year said he makes ceramics as an artist not a potter. Senamolela said he has made a change because he does not want anyone to predict his work. He currently has a fully functional studio called Art Discovery and Ceramics in Kopong.
There were other winners in the various categories like sculpture, graphic design, print making, stamp design, tapestry, jewelry, beadwork, traditional pottery, woodcarving, leatherwork, open basketry and closed basketry. Winners walked away with P10,000, runners-up took P8,000 while third place winners scooped P6,000. The winners will get their trophies at the President’s Day competitions award ceremony on July 19.