Micaela Gabriela Balie (Bloemfontein)
Ghost in the machine Digital drawing and photography Edition 1 of 5 90 cm x 60 cm Artist’s Statement Ghost in the Machine is a deeply personal reflection on grief and depression, especially as they unfold away from the comfort of a safe, “home-like” space. This work weaves together fragments of memory and loss, beginning […]
Tammy Lee Baikie (Johannesburg) | 2025 Merit Award Winner
Book worms, 2025 Mixed media 25 cm x 33,5 cm x 46 cm Artist’s Statement Book worms uses sustainable, wild harvesting of mopane worms to explore knowledge systems and how one knowledge system can overshadow others. The book, etching and specimen collection are tokens of the dominant western scientific paradigm. But in small ways – […]
Hester Badenhorst (Pretoria)
Aloe Trees Mixed media 63,5 cm x 94 cm Artist’s Statement The musician Stef Bos wrote a song called “Is dit nu later?”, where an adult asks if this moment is really “Later.” That question really speaks to me, because for most of my life I’ve put off my dream of becoming an artist. I […]
Sundus Saad Altalib (Cape Town)
Mesopotamia Banana silk on hardwood 46 cm x 103 cm Artist’s Statement Mesopotamia draws its name from my paternal heritage — an ancient region known for its innovation, complexity, and cultural richness. This work reflects on this history, evoking the grandeur of a place that once thrived at the crossroads of empires and trade routes. […]