Young artist winners

THE FIVE JOIN A LONG LIST OF ILLUSTRIOUS SBYA ALUMNI ‘We value the prestige the award holds in local and international art community.’

his year, Standard Bank celebrates 35 years of sponsoring the Standard Bank Young Artist (SBYA) awards. The 2019 winners continue to prove that the creative fire that fuelled their predecessors in the 1980s burns just as fiercely in the current generation of artists.

Each of the latest exceptional young artists will receive a cash incentive, as well as a commission to premiere a new work or exhibit on the main programme of the National Arts Festival in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) next year.

Desiree Pooe, the bank’s head of sponsorships, says: “Over the 35 years of Standard Bank’s sponsorship, the Standard Bank Young Artist awards have been regarded as an illustrious accolade that takes pride of place on any artist’s CV.

“We value and appreciate the prestige that the award holds in the local and international art community and take our role as sponsors very seriously.

“It is a great honour for us to recognise and reward these art- ists for their talent, and to contribute to moving their careers forward. We continually strive to support South Africa’s creative economy by elevating their craft.” The 2019 young artists join a long list of illustrious SBYA alumni who have attained creative and professional heights over the years. Since 1981, the winners have included Sibongile Khumalo, William Kentridge, Mbongeni Ngema, Pieter-Dirk Uys, Johnny Clegg, Vincent Mantsoe, Gregory Maqoma, Janice Honeyman, Helen Sebidi, Lara Foot, Darrell Roodt, Robyn Orlin, Jerry Mofokeng, Andrew Buckland, Sam Nhlengethwa and Marthinus Basson.– Citizen reporter