Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - It is known as the biggest art competition in South Africa, and this year’s ARTi Gallery Art Competition did not disappoint.
In association with Isinyithi Trading 326, the second national art competition launched in April, welcoming artists from all over South Africa to enter at any age and with any medium. They received approximately 500 entries when submissions closed on October 7. The theme was “Rainbow Renaissance: From Baroque to Braai”, which encouraged artists to re-imagine an old classic artwork by giving it a South-African twist.
With entries from artists of all skill-levels, amateur to professionals, the standard of artworks that were received was phenomenal, making it very challenging for the adjudicators - Robert Thirtle, Marco Kuhn (AGAC 2023 Winner), Daniel Tladi and the internationally known Portchie Viljoen - to choose the top 25 Finalists.
Thirtle, the owner of the ARTi Gallery, is the founder of the AGAC and his vision is to create the biggest art competition in South Africa by making it all-inclusive of age and medium, with a grand prize this year of R260 000. The first round of adjudication established the Top 100 Finalists in the overall category, and a Top 10 in the Primary School and High School Categories. The second round announced the Top 50 Overall, and Top 5 Primary and High School. The final round featured the Top 25 Overall Finalists and the Top 3 from both school categories.
The Primary School winner is Lonwabo Jantjies with his colourful artwork titled: “Starry Night Over South African Huts: Shining Amidst Adversity”. Jaz (Gareth) Zacks, who also made it to the Top 25 Overall Finalists and who entered five spectacular artworks, was the High School winner with his painting titled: “Stormy Oranjezicht”.
The Top three winners in the overall category were: 3rd Place winner, Marguerite Smal with “The Pearl of Limpopo”, 2nd Place winner, Tiffany Baxter with “Nkosi Sikele’ iAfrika” (Tiffany was the 2nd Place winner in the 2023 AGAC) and the Overall Winner of the AGAC 2024 is Sebastiaan Theart from Cape Town with his interactive piece titled, “Brandewyn Brille”.
These Top 25 and Top 3 finalists were required to send their artwork to the gallery, where the adjudicators gave one final round of judging, which established the top winners of this year’s AGAC. The winners were announced on November 9 via a Live-stream Awards event and can still be viewed on the ARTi Gallery Klerksdorp channel on YouTube.
The Top 3 Primary and High School Finalists and the Top 25 Overall Finalists’ artwork can be viewed at the ARTi Gallery until March 2025 while it is on exhibit.
The Official Opening Exhibition Night will take place on January 18 on invite-only.
The ARTi Gallery thanks every single sponsor for believing in and supporting the arts.
