Norval Sovereign African Art Winner 2023, Famakan Magassa, has an exhibition titled Witness of My Time, and Curator Phokeng Setai, and chief curatorial consultant, Heba El Kayal walk us through the exhibition at the Norval Foundation.
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Heba El Kayal provides a brief background to the Norval Sovereign African Art Prize for artists living in Africa or of the African diaspora. Nominations are called for through curators and cultural practitioners from the African art field. Famakan Magassa is the 2023 winner.
Les travailleuses de la nuit.
Phokeng Setai gives us the background to the exhibition Witness of My Time that focuses on a young man’s experience and the difficulties he has in getting a visa to get to the USA. Phokeng gives us some background to the artist and the satirical approach adopted to deal with the issues he has experienced. Heather also comments on the fact that the style is meant to provoke the the absurdity of the trials and tribulations of movement, whether it is for leisure or prompted by migration. The satire relates to the underlying sadness..
Heba and Phokeng also comment on Famakan Magassa’s particular style and what he draws from. He also uses symbols that highlight difficult issues. Big red lips represent things said or unsaid. Wine glasses symbolise the bourgeoisie; stilettos and boots – men and women.
Essentially Witness of My Time by Norval Sovereign African Art Winner Famakan Magassa is an exhibition that is vibrant and provocative – so visit the Norval Foundation soonest and ENJOY!
WHAT: Norval Sovereign African Art Winner 2023 – Famakan Magassa
WHERE: Norval Foundation – Gallery 9, 1 Ou Kaapse Road, Tokai, Cape Town, 7966
WHEN: until 25 January 2024
INFO: T +27 (0)87 654 5900 | E info@norvalfoundation.org | Visit
SEE ALSO: Famakan Magassa – Witness of My Time at Norval
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Norval Sovereign African Art Prize 2024 edition opens
Norval Foundation and The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF), have launched the third edition of the Norval Sovereign African Art Prize (NSAAP). The NSAAP aims to raise significant funds for arts education and to benefit artists living in Africa or of the African diaspora by increasing their international exposure. The Prize awards total financial prizes of US $37 000, an opportunity for an artist residency in London and a solo exhibition at the NorvalFoundation.
A board of 59 independent nominators comprising of curators, writers and art experts from around the world have nominated 160 artists representing more than 40 countries for the 2024 edition of the Prize. Each of these artists was then invited to enter up to 3 artworks online fojudging. A total of 375 artworks have been submitted for the competition and were scored by a panel of global art specialists in August 2023. The 30 artworks with the highest scores will be announced in October, and exhibited at Norval Foundation in February 2024, coinciding with the Investec Cape Town Art Fair.
The 30 shortlisted finalists hope to join previous Grand Prize winners Famakan Magassa (b. 1997, Mali) and Bonolo Kavula (b. 1992, South Africa) and Public Vote Winners Alioune Diagne (b.1985, Senegal) and Rene Tavares (b. 1983, São Tomé and Príncipe).
The first two editions of the NSAAP Finalists Exhibition have seen a diverse display of artworks across different media, themes and subjects featuring artists from over 50 countries.
By helping to bring forward developing talent, we are able to help a different demographic of young artists alongside the modernists and established contemporary artists who show at the Norval Foundation. This also allows us to educate young visitors, school children and students about the different stages of an artist’s career and life journey as an artist, and has helped young visitors envision and aspire towards the arts.” said Norval Foundation’s Chief Curatorial Consultant, Heba El Kayal, who forms part of the judging panel.
Other judges on the 2024 Panel represent Global Art Specialists, namely, Ashraf Jamal, Writer-Researcher for Art Bank SA; Marie-Ann Yemsi, Independent Curator and Contemporary Art Consultant; Ngaire Blankenberg, Founder and Director for the Institute for Creative Repair; and Sean o’Toole, Writer, Editor and Curator.
The NSAAP is primarily a fundraising initiative raising funds for both the Norval Foundation Learning Centre and shortlisted artists through an online benefit auction hosted by Sotheby’s, where the shortlisted artworks, excluding the Grand Prize winning work, are sold. Proceeds from the auction are split evenly between the artists and the Norval Foundation Learning Centre. The Learning Centre is dedicated to fostering creative thinking and developing the problem solving and interpretation skills that enable learners to make better life decisions. The learning centre exposes and educates learners through art, stimulating the development of these skills.
Howard Bilton, Founder and Chairman of SAF, commented: “The Sovereign Art Foundation has been running art prizes globally since 2003. In this time, we have showcased some of the greatest artists working in those regions and have made some amazing discoveries, whilst raising over US$11M to assist disadvantaged children using the therapeutic benefits of art. Since our first initiative in Africa in 2012, we have sought to establish a significant art prize for Africa and its diaspora, where some of the most exciting and innovative art is currently being produced. In joining our expertise and experience together with that of the prestigious Norval Foundation, we are realising a long-held ambition to give these artists the recognition and platform they deserve, whilst raising substantial funds for arts education in South Africa.”
Between February and May 2024, the public is invited to visit the Norval Foundation and partake in the Prize by casting a vote for their favourite artwork, both in person and online. The Public Vote Prize, with a cash prize of US $2 000, will be granted to the finalist whose work proves the most popular with the public.
The Grand Prize Winner will be announced on 13 February at the opening event of the finalist exhibition, and will walk away with $35 000.00.
The full nominator list, terms and conditions and full schedule of NSAAP 2024 are available onboth the Norval Foundation and The Sovereign Art Foundation websites.
