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A Solo Exhibition by Sasol New Signatures Winner of 2023
Nosiviwe Matikinca (23), winner of the 2023 Sasol New Signatures Art Competition and recent graduate from Gqeberha, will hold her first solo exhibition, titled Ukungalingani Kwezemfundo (Educational Inequality), alongside the Sasol New Signatures 2024 exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum from Thursday, 5 September to Sunday, 3 November 2024.
Matikinca was born in Cape Town and grew up in Hermanus. She attended Cedar High School of the Arts and took extra art classes at the Peter Clarke Art Centre. After moving back to Hermanus, she continued her art training at the Enlighten Education Trust under Zimbabwean artist Ashleigh Temple-Camp. She obtained a Bachelor of Visual Arts Degree from Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha.
Her award-winning work in 2023 highlighted the challenges faced by learners from underprivileged backgrounds in public schools, particularly focusing on the disparities in basic necessities like school shoes. The fragile clay castings of school shoes again feature in the body of work she produced, but take on a greater significance in the context of a solo exhibition. While creating work for her solo exhibition, Matikinca also explored the use of different mediums, such as printmaking and castings in different materials, in addition to her use of ceramics.
Matikinca said, “For my solo exhibition, I have decided to continue the narrative I began in 2023 and highlight and educate the public about the challenges faced by learners who come from underprivileged backgrounds. My artworks portray the overcrowding of classes and the lack of school tables, leaving learners to share with others or use broken tables. The carvings on these tables commemorate the presence of learners who were distracted due to the overcrowding and noise from their classmates.” Cate Terblanche, Sasol’s Art Curator, explains “The use of clay is crucial to understanding Matikinica’s work. Clay as a material speaks of an organic nature. It can be moulded and shaped into any form, and during the firing process, it changes consistency. The nature of the clay speaks to not only the education system which is supposed to mould and shape the young child’s mind and future, but also the precariousness of the public schooling system in South Africa.”
Matikinca’s exhibition will coincide with the New Signatures 2024 exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum. The winners of the 2024 competition will be announced on September 4, showcasing 139 works selected by judges from across South Africa. Each artwork stands as a testament to the nation’s diverse artistic tapestry, highlighting the richness of contemporary expression. The Sasol New Signatures exhibition will run from Thursday, 5 September to Sunday, 3 November 2024.
