2021 Award Finalists Exhibition

'On The Brink: Visualising Climate Change'

With the world preoccupied by COVID-19 pandemic concerns, environmental issues have been overlooked: climate change discussions and decision-making have been put on hold while governments, industry and people everywhere come together to combat the global pandemic.

Though unquestionably one of the most pressing issues of our time, climate change is difficult for us to wrap our minds around, in part because it's so difficult to communicate. But art can express ideas that may be too complicated or abstract for other mediums. Art that speaks to the effects of climate change has a unique potential to make these problems personal and relevant, with artists able to serve in the role of commentator, collaborator, storyteller, catalyst, and more. 

For the StateoftheART Gallery Award 2021,  we asked artists to find ways to engage with the reality of climate crisis and its impact on their own community; to create work to inspire and encourage societal change within their community - and within the broader South African context.  The 10 finalists were chosen from more than 600 submissions from across South Africa, with the judges scoring the artists on the creativity, originality, and technical skill of their entries to this year's Award theme ‘On The Brink, Visualising Climate Change’.

The work of the shortlisted artists is on show in a special exhibition at StateoftheART’s Cape Town gallery from 16 - 30 October 2021, and Sylvester Zanoxolo Mqeku was announced as the overall winner at the Award Ceremony on 16 October 2021. He will receive a R40 000 cash prize and a solo exhibition with the gallery in 2022.

See photos from the Award Ceremony and opening event here>>>

Shortlisted artists:
   Dominic De Villiers  |  Given Muronga  |  Janet Ormond  |  Kristen McClarty  |   Liesl Roos  |  Mfundo Sizwe Ziphozonke Mngomezulu 
  Rozelle Greyling  |  Sylvester Zanoxolo Mqeku  |  Theophelus Rikhotso  |   Tumelo Mphela