Two South African Artists Among Top 3 in Regional Art Competition
South African artists Zolani Makibi and Nhlakanipho Mkhize were named as winners at the sixth edition of BIC’s flagship art competition, Art Master Africa. Makibi was named second place winner, while Mkhize took third place.
Makibi and Mkhize triumphed over around 6,000 entries in the competition across Africa and the Middle East. Second place overall winner, Zolani Makibi won a cash prize of $1500 for his piece titled Raised by the Community and third place winner, Nhlakanipho Mkhize won $500 for his work titled Brother’s Keeper.
The Art Master Africa competition was launched earlier this year and called on creatives to portray their interpretation of Ubuntu (One Africa) which emphasises interdependence and the power of collective harmony, using the iconic BIC ballpoint pen.
Marc D’Oliveira, General Manager at BIC South Africa, said: “We are proud to have run Art Master Africa for the sixth year in a row. The competition has come a long way, starting in South Africa in 2017 and expanding into the wider region. It has brought to life phenomenal talent from across the region and is a testament to our commitment to unleashing creativity using writing tools and living up to our vision of bringing simplicity and joy to everyday life through our products. We continue to be in awe every year after seeing the submissions we receive, and we are confident that we will continue to help more talent surface through this flagship competition.”
Zolani Makibi, who placed second overall, said, “I am delighted to receive this recognition for Raised by the Community, especially on a theme as meaningful to me as Ubuntu. I am grateful to the many helping hands in the village that raised me after losing my mom at a young age and to BIC for creating such an inspiring platform for African artists. I encourage other artists to enter this competition and share their creativity with the world.”
Judge Gayi Eric commented on the artwork saying, “The artworks we received are a testament to the incredible talent and creativity on the African continent. Each piece reflects the artists’ individual talent while connecting to the broader message of unity and harmony across African communities. As the judging panel, we were very impressed with this year’s submissions.”
Nhlakanipho Mkhize’s placed third overall for his hyper-realism drawing Brother’s Keeper, which was inspired by the good that emerges in people despite challenges they face. “As a self-taught artist, using a BIC pen to achieve a hyper-realistic technique was a new personal challenge I relished. Unlike pencil, which can be edited, ink requires precision and patience to complete,” he said.
BIC Art Master Africa is a bi-annual art competition that calls on artists to express themselves through the iconic ballpoint pen. Every edition reflects the unique cultures that span the African continent. The competition continues to grow each year, providing a platform for emerging artists to showcase their work, explore their creativity, and share their stories through the art of ballpoint pen drawings. Earlier this year, BIC launched its first-of-its-kind Art Master Africa Metaverse Gallery.
