Art exhibition showcases finest talents
07 Jul 2024
The art exhibition competition at the National Museum on Friday greeted guests with an array of stunning works by artists.
The exhibition featured paintings by both young and seasoned Batswana artists who were honoured with prizes for their exceptional work.
The show highlighted various forms of basketry from Etsha to Parakarungu.
Additionally, there were impressive displays of beadwork, woodcarving, ceramics, traditional pottery, leatherwork and sculptures crafted.
The art exhibition competition was fierce and adjudicators faced a challenging task in selecting the winners.
Head of adjudicators, Reginald Bakwena and also the coordinator at Thapong Virtual Arts, confirmed the difficulty of the judging process.
He said judges evaluated various aspects of the artworks, including originality, creativity and the uniqueness and innovation of the pieces.
He said they ensured that works were not merely copied from the internet.
“We looked at the technical skill and the level of craftsmanship and mastery of the medium. We also looked at the composition and design; the arrangement of elements within the piece and overall design.
Additionally, we considered the use of colour and texture, how effectively they were used to enhance the work,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of emotional impact, saying judges assessed the ability of the pieces to evoke emotional response.
“Defining the concept and depth of the work was key. The presentation of the work, including how it was displayed or framed, also contributed to its overall impact” he said.
Lebogang Keitshokile from Francistown emerged as the overall winner of the fine arts category and received P30 000 for the best in sculpture design and P15 000 for the overall winner of the show.
In an interview, he expressed happiness noting that he had won the same prize the previous year.
He said he spent a month creating a sculpture worth P60 000, depicting a person playing drums, which aligned with the theme; Ngwao Bojanala.
He described Botswana as a land of culture, creativity, and tourism and shared his dream of opening a sculpture academy to educate aspiring artists.
Keseitsheletse Ditshotlo, who also won last year, took first prize in the clay work category, walking away with P15 000.
The 63-year-old artist shared that she had been practicing her craft since the age of 19 and had showcased her work at the Dubai Expo in 2022.
Various categories, including beadwork and photography also saw winners walk away with prizes. Ends
Source : BOPA
Author : Bakang Wren
Location : GABORONE
Event : Art exhibition
Date : 07 Jul 2024