(Jahmil
XT Qubeka (Film); Greg Homann (Theatre); Donna Kukama (Performance Art); Kyle
Shepherd (Jazz); Hasan & Husain Essop (Visual Art); Nicola Elliott (Dance)
and Njabulo Madlala (Music). Pic: Timmy Henny)
The National Arts Festival has named an
unprecedented eight young South Africans winners of the prestigious Standard
Bank Young Artist Award, bringing to 125 the total number who have been
honoured since Standard Bank began sponsoring the Awards three decades ago.
The Award is made annually to young South
African artists who are either on the threshold of national acclaim, or whose
artistic excellence has enabled them to make international breakthroughs.
“Celebrating excellence, innovation and a refined technical skill and artistry
rests at the heart of the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards. Each of this
year’s winners represent the vibrancy and sophistication with which South
Africa’s artistic and cultural legacy continues to be enriched” said
Festival Artistic Director, Ismail Mahomed.
For the first time since inception, the
Awards include a prize shared by siblings in a single category, with
photographers Hasan and Husain Essop being named joint Visual Art winners. The
brothers have been collaborating since their graduation from the Michaelis
School of Fine Arts at the University of Cape Town and will stage a new joint
exhibition in Grahamstown next year.
“It is also only the sixth time since the
start of the awards that a prize has been given in the ‘Film’ category, and we
are delighted that we can include that on our roster of winners together with
our newest award category for ‘Performance Art’, which was instituted last
year,” Mahomed said. “Quite often we have had to present a smaller, refined
list of winners – this time we wanted a full slate, covering all the key genres
celebrated by the National Arts Festival in anticipation of our double
anniversary celebrations in 2014.”
Next year, apart from being the 30th year
Standard Bank have sponsored the Award, the Festival will celebrate its 40th
anniversary.
The winners of the 2014 Standard Bank Young
Artist Awards are:
Jahmil XT Qubeka (Film)
Nicola Elliott (Dance)
Kyle Shepherd (Jazz)
Hasan & Husain Essop (Visual Art)
Njabulo Madlala (Music)
Donna Kukama (Performance Art)
Greg Homann (Theatre)
“Standard Bank deeply values the
contribution we can make through the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards to the
continued growth of South Africa’s artistic legacy. Our association with these
prestigious awards dates back to 1984 when Standard Bank first became a sponsor
of the National Arts Festival and has endured for 30 years to see the
trajectory of the most amazing talent over the years. We celebrate the success
of all past and present winners and wish them well in their careers,” said
Hazel Chimhandamba, Head of Group Sponsorships at Standard Bank.
Apart from a cash prize, each of the
winners will be featured on the Main programme of the 2014 National Arts
Festival in Grahamstown (July 3 – 13, 2014), where they will be given the
opportunity to develop and première new works.
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