StateoftheART is pleased to announce the winner of the StateoftheART Gallery Award 2018.
The Award aims to champion contemporary art by emerging artists resident in South Africa, increasing exposure for their work, and encouraging further professional development opportunities.
The winning artist,
Jo Roets, is based in Cape Town, and her light relief clay sculptures reference the various cultures of South Africa: symbolic patterns and shapes inspired by Islamic prayer mats, Ndebele aprons and neck pendants, Zulu earplugs and beer pots - and patterns from her grandmother’s doilies.
The ten shortlisted finalists were selected from hundreds of artists from across South Africa who applied for the Award. Two works by each of the finalists went on show earlier this month for the final round of judging in a group exhibition held at StateoftheART in Cape Town. Mirjam Asmal, Director, AVA; Mandy Conidaris, Director OOTC Gallery and artist; Carol Hodes, Curator and Collector; Macx Ncevu, Award Winning Photographer and Jennifer Reynolds, Director of StateoftheART, comprised this year’s panel of respected art professionals who named Roets the overall Award winner.
As the 2018 winner, Jo Roets will receive a prize of a solo exhibition in 2019, and a R10 000 cash award to support the development of new work.
Jo Roets said, “Entering this competition connected me with fellow artists and like-minded people. StateoftheART did not follow the typical art competition model but invented a fresh and creative way of presenting this competition, changing the typical format and chronology of events. This meant that finalists had the opportunity to meet each other on social media before meeting in real life. This distinct characteristic of StatetoftheART sets them apart from other galleries. They really do value the importance of online presence highly. To have your work and name be seen by thousands of people is a win in itself - a spin-off of being a finalist.
As an artist it is one thing to set out goals. The challenge comes when action needs to be taken towards achieving these goals. Part of the process is working long hours, fighting through self-doubt and hoping that my work would be good enough. This is why I am extremely grateful for winning this award and gaining the recognition that it has afforded me. It is a self-doubt eliminator. My excitement for my very first solo exhibition cannot be contained. I can hardly wait to start the process and to begin planning towards the show.”
Director of StateoftheART, Jennifer Reynolds said, “We are thrilled to be working with Jo Roets and we hope the solo exhibition will present Jo with a fabulous opportunity to develop her work and career, and it will be a real treat for our audience in May 2019.
The quality and standard of work submitted to the inaugural StateoftheART Gallery Award was outstanding and we congratulate the winner and all the entrants on their inspiring artworks. We look forward to following their developing careers, and wish them and each of our shortlisted entrants all the success for the future."
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