Benonian gets fine arts award
Rynfield resident Liberty Battson walked away with a painting merit award at the 2013 Thami Mnyele Fine Arts awards.
Battson’s painting, titled “This is sensational”, calls for South Africans to be activists on issues regarding child rape.
Metro spokesman Sam Modiba said that topical issues such as acid mine drainage, child rape and lineage were the subject of the winning art works at this year’s Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards.
The top prize at the national art competition, an initiative by the City of Ekurhulen, was handed over to a University of Pretoria student, Loiuse Kritzinger, for her sculpture, titled “Pyrrhic Victory”.
“Through the mediums of steel, water, metallic powder and soap, Kritzinger managed to construct the piece that has won her the R40 000 first prize,” said Modiba.
“Pyrrhic Victory is a thought-provoking piece which addresses the controversial matter of acid mine drainage.”
The Ekurhuleni Prize, which is awarded to an artist who hails from the City of Ekurhuleni, went to crafter Sinalo Ntuli, for his beads-on-canvas work, titled “The Lead Singer”.
“This is his second attempt at the top prize and he has come close by being awarded R30 000 for the work which took two to three months to complete,” said Modiba.
Tanisha Bhana, a lawyer, walked off with the Multi and New Media/Photography Merit Award for “Graceland”, a pigment print on archival paper.
Danette Janse van Rensburg took home the Sculpture Merit Award for the poplar and partridge wood and cast bronze work, titled “Blood is Thicker than Water”.
A total of 272 entries were received from all over the country.
“Of these, 80 artists were selected to be in the exhibition,” said Modiba.
