07 Dec 2014

Obed Mokhuhlani has on December 4 walked away with P35 000 after winning Thapong Artist of the Year award beating 95 to the coveted prize.

With 189 artworks submitted for this year’s awards, Obed’s Survival emerged the best ahead of DailyNews photographer, Ogopoleng Kgomoethata who scooped second position that earned him P17 000 prize money.

In an interview, Mokhuhlani said he was thrilled to have won the artist of the year award.

“I had faith in my artwork and I must admit that I was a little surprised to have won looking at the quality of work I was up against,” he said.

Nonetheless, he said he would continue to produce masterpieces. As to why his piece was not priced, Obed explained that he did not see the need because artwork was very close to his heart and cherished it.

On the other hand, another DailyNews photographer, Phenyo Moalosi was named the best photographer for having extensively covered fine art throughout the year and pocketed P5 500.

Omphile Ntakhwana, also from DailyNews was named the best news reporter and pocketed P8 500 for having covered the fine arts sector extensively throughout the year.

Speaking at the Thapong Visual Arts Centre awards ceremony, Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) president, Lekwalo Mosienyane said art should be nurtured and supported accordingly as the language that portrayed people’s culture.

“There are more millionaires in the creative art industry the world over than any other sector and this just shows how important this sector is,” he said.

He indicated that the creative art industry also had the potential to help diversify the economy and significantly contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB) managing director, Tabake Kobedi said the awards ceremony celebrated the arts in Botswana hence such a platform should be used by artists to network and for art lovers to appreciate talent in Botswana.

Kobedi said DTCB had been a great friend to the arts sector in Botswana and had supported the sector since 2008 with a little over P1 million.

“Partnerships such as the Shining Light awards, refurbishment of the Thapong Visual Arts Centre and the Thapong Artist of the Year awards are proof that we are committed to the growth of the arts in Botswana,” he said.

He noted that Batswana should recognise the important role that the arts played in the society and time was nigh to highly commercialise the sector.

“Our country should become an international arts hub and this will trickle down to the artists and they will enjoy the fruits of their labour,” said Kobedi.

Donald Moilwa, one of the three judges for the artworks, said submissions for the TAYA were predominantly dominated by young artists.

“This is an indication of the healthy growth and interest from the youth towards visual arts,” he said.

Moilwa also said the competition was mainly dominated by painting and photography with drawing, sculpture and crafts showing minimal submission.

“There is obviously a need to put more resources into developing sculptors within the visual arts as by doing so we will be investing on men and women who will be able to contend for national and international monumental projects,” he said.

Moilwa said they looked at the originality of artworks in their adjudication.

However, he said they were concerned about inappropriate prizing of art pieces, saying “artworks are overpriced while the quality does not match the value attached to it.” ENDS