Alumnae shine in 2022 Emerging Painting Invitational Prize

18 February 2022 - Wits Alumni Relations

Two Wits artists acknowledged for "mastery, originality and promise" at Africa’s largest invite-only event.

Two Wits fine art alumnae, Ravelle Pillay (BA FA 2016) and Malebona Maphutse (BA FA 2018) were announced winners in the 2022 Emerging Painting Invitational (EPI) Prize by auction house Strauss & Co on 16 February 2022. Pillay received first prize and Maphutse third.

The EPI is described as the African continent’s largest invite-only art event dedicated to painters and painting. This is the third edition since the prize’s inauguration.

Pillay received a grand prize of $3 000 (about R45 000), with her winning oil on canvas works titled “The Birthday Party I & II” and “Cake”. While Maphutse received $1 000 (about R15 000). Both artists have also been awarded a residency at “This is not a White Cube Gallery” in Lisbon and Luanda.

According to the statement released by the EPI, "the winners were selected based on mastery, originality and promise, with an appreciation of diversity in technique and subject matter, intensity of artistic voice and understanding of the language of painting”.

Pillay said: "This win is really important to me. Not only am I honoured and excited to have placed first, I am excited to have been invited and selected by an artistic community from across Africa. I am very happy to be the first South African winner thus far, and I am especially happy to have been selected alongside a talented and diverse group of peers. It is really important for there to be a painting-specific competition of this nature in Africa and I think my current feeling is just one of gratitude and motivation to keep the work going".

Susie Goodman, executive director of Strauss & Co, who sponsors the event, said: “We were particularly encouraged this year to see outstanding work by artists from eight different African countries – Algeria, Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, and Tunisia – with really strong woman artists making their voices heard.”

Pillay, who works primarily with painting and drawing, is based in Johannesburg. Her work is informed by ideas of family, migration and nostalgia, as well as personal and collective memory. She often draws from personal, family, found, and borrowed photographs. She spoke fondly about her time at Wits: "I had a wonderful time at Wits. I learned a lot about myself. Most of the lecturers at WSOA were great. I was greatly influenced by Profs David Andrew, Dorothee Kreutzfeldt, Ra Hlasane and Zen Marie".

Her work, featured in the group exhibition Silence Calling from One Continent to Another at the Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, was shown at the 2021 FNB Art Joburg week and will be on the 2022 Investec Cape Town Art Fair. Her finalist presentation is available here. 

Maphutse works in heterogeneous media, particularly painting, sculptural installation, linocut printing, digital prints and video art. "I believe in continuing the work regardless of awards and certain recognition, however I do feel that this helps tremendously with regards to navigating the market in an easier manner. It affords you a number of opportunities that can only be realised through prestigious awards such as this. So this win means I am blessed enough to see the fruits of my labour displayed in front of me which is honestly a privilege," she said.

Her work has been exhibited at major international exhibitions including the Bergen Triennial 2019 (The Dead are not Dead) and the Stellenbosch Triennial 2020 (Tomorrow there will be more of us). See her finalist presentation here. 

She too has fond memories of her time at Wits: "I was able to meet some amazing people and network with peers who are doing so well within different industries today. These peers have gone on to influence my development as a professional through connections. There are a number of lecturers who have become mentors and family to me that have and continue to hold my hand throughout my career. Former and current lecturers, Rangoato Hlasane, Donna Kukama, Reshma Chibba, Nontobeko Ntombela, Gabi Ngcobo, Dr. Same Mduli, Prof. Karel Nel, Sharlene Khan and many others who have contributed to my growth as an artist within the industry and have made sure to mould my critical thinking and execution." 

The second prize was awarded to Natnael Ashebir from Ethiopia for his acrylic on canvas works titled "Layers of Life I, II, III".