Absa L'Atelier Art Competition explained

The Absa L'Atelier Art Competition is a South African annual art award for South African visual artists between the ages of 21 and 35. The competition is run in conjunction with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA).

History

The art award was originally known as the Volkskas Bank Atelier Competition and was established in 1986^[1] and kept this name up to 1998 (when Volkskas was incorporated into the Absa Group). From 1999 to 2001 the award was known as the Absa Atelier competition.

From 2004^[2] the Gerard Sekoto award was added to the competition, to support the most promising artist taking part in the competition with an income of less than R60 000 per annum. This award is supported by the French Embassy, the French Institute and Alliance Française.

In the early 1980s SANAVA acquired three atelier apartments^[3] at the Cité internationale des arts from where the name Atelier Competition has its origin. These assets are held in trust in terms of an Occupational Rights Agreement by the SANAVA Cité des Arts Trust, valid until 22 March 2060.

Previous winners and merit awards

1986

WinnerPenny Siopis^[4]

Merit Award WinnersDeborah Bell,Andrew Breebaart,Dennis Purvis andSimon Stone

1987

WinnerClive van den Berg

Merit Award WinnersAndries Botha,Philippa Hobbs,Tommy Motswai andKarel Nel

1988

WinnerDiane Victor^[5]

Merit Award WinnersKay Cowley,Guy du Toit,Johann Louw andMargaret Vorster

1989

WinnerHennie Stroebel

Merit Award WinnersCaroline Jones,Walter Oltman,Giulio Tambellini andJeremy Wafer

1990

WinnerBarend de Wet

Merit Award WinnersAndrew Breebaart,Jean Bruwer,Guy du Toit andJudy Woodborne

1991

WinnerVirginia McKenny

Merit Award WinnersNicole Donald,Ruth Mileham,Johann van der Schijff andPierre van der Westhuizen

1992

WinnerPaul Edmunds

Merit Award WinnersWayne Barker,Marc Edwards,Dominic Thorburn andMinette Vári

1993

WinnerDominic Thorburn

Merit Award WinnersSiemon Allen,Diek Grobler,Adam Letch andRussel Scott

1994

WinnerJonathan Comerford

Merit Award WinnersAndrew Putter,Kevin Roberts,Henk Serfontein andAlastair Whitton

1995

WinnerKevin Roberts

Merit Award WinnersMoses Ceywayo,Gordon Froud,Diek Grobler andPeet Pienaar

1996

WinnerIsaac Khanyile

Merit Award WinnersHanneke Benadé,Wim Botha,Semkelo Bunu andBerco Wilsenach

1997

WinnerIlse Pahl^[6]

Merit Award WinnersLucas Bambo,Cecile Heystek,Kim Lieberman andRichardt Strydom

1998

WinnerKarl Gietl

Merit Award WinnersWayne Barker,Hanneke Benadé,Jean Brundit andPeter Rippon

1999

WinnerRyan Arenson

Merit Award WinnersBrad Hammond,Fritha Langerman,Albert Redelinghuys andVanessa van Wyk

2000

WinnerBrad Hammond

Merit Award WinnersJoni BrennerNatasha Christopher,Colbert Mashile andNigel Mullins

2001

WinnerStefanus Rademeyer

Merit Award WinnersMarco Cianfanelli,Daniel Hirschman,Brent Meistre andMerryn Singer

2002

WinnerMarco Cianfanelli

Merit Award WinnersNatasha Christopher,Alastair McLachlan,Benninghoff Puren andJames Webb

2003

WinnerSanell Aggenbach

Merit Award WinnersRetha Bornmann,Natasha Christopher,Patricia Driscoll andBerco Wilsenach

2004

WinnerConrad Botes

Merit Award WinnersStephen HobbsPieter Hugo,Lize Muller andRobert Rich

Gerard Sekoto Award WinnersBillie Zangewa

2005

WinnerBerco Wilsenach

Merit Award WinnersKatherine Bull,Lawrence Lemoaona,Patrice Mabasa andMikhael Subotzky

Gerard Sekoto WinnerLawrence Lemoaona

2006

WinnerRuth Sachs

Merit Award WinnersNathani Lüneburg,Riason Naidoo,Anet Norval andJames Webb

Gerard Sekoto WinnerNomusa Makhubu

2007

WinnerPierre Fouché

Merit Award WinnersNina Barnett,Wayne Matthews,Lyndi Sales andJaco Spies

Gerard Sekoto WinnerNina Barnett

2008

WinnerJames Webb

Merit Award WinnersChristiaan Hattingh,Lunga Kama,Alhyrian Laue andAntonia Steyn

Gerard Sekoto WinnerRetha Ferguson

2009

WinnerStephen Rosin

2010

WinnerIlka van Schalkwyk

Merit Award WinnersAbri de Swardt,Philiswa Lila,Collen Maswanganyi andHanje Whitehead.

Gerard Sekoto WinnerBongumenzi Ngobese

2012

WinnerElrie Joubert

Merit Award WinnersSibiya Bambo,Mandy Johnston,Heidi Janice Mielke andNina Liebenberg

Gerard Sekoto WinnerSibiya Bambo

2013

WinnerPauline Gutter^[7]

Merit Award WinnersKathleen Sawyer andJaco Van Schalkwyk

Gerard Sekoto WinnerMongezi Ncaphayi

2014

WinnerLiberty Battson^[8]

Merit Award WinnersBevan de Wet andLuyanda Zindela

Gerard Sekoto WinnerMbavhalelo Nekhavhambe

2015

WinnerKai Losgott^[9]

Merit Award WinnersGideon Appah^[10] (non South African prize from Ghana),Nina Kruger^[11] andNelmarie du Preez^[12]

Gerard Sekoto WinnerNatalie Moore^[13]

External links

• "L'Atelier Competition"

Notes and References

1. Web site: Absa L’Atelier: 34 years of crafting a new spotlight for African artists . Creative Feel . 4 July 2023.
2. Web site: Naidoo . Prakash . The Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award . Business Live . 4 July 2023.
3. Web site: Cité Internationale des Arts . Sanava . 4 July 2023.
4. Web site: Siopis, Penny. L'Atelier Competition Site. 10 April 2016.
5. Web site: Victor, Diane. L'Atelier Competition Site. 10 April 2016.
6. Web site: Pahl, Ilse. L'Atelier Competition Site. 10 April 2016.
7. Web site: Leiman. Layla. Absa L’Atelier Awards 2013. Between 10 and 5. 10 April 2016.
8. Web site: De Freitas. Marilyn. The Odds of the 2014 Absa L’Atelier Awards. art.co.za. 10 April 2016.
9. Web site: Leiman. Leila. Barclays L’Atelier 2015 Winners. Between 10 and 5. 10 April 2016.
10. Web site: Appah, Gideon. L'Atelier Competition Site. 11 April 2016.
11. Web site: Kruger, Nina. L'Atelier Competition Site. 11 April 2016.
12. Web site: Du Preez, Nelmarie. L'Atelier Competition Site. 11 April 2016.
13. Web site: Moore, Natalie. L'Atelier Competition Site. 11 April 2016.