In 2023, the ANNA Award identifies and celebrates women artists across the African continent
TOP ROW: Alexandra-Naledi Holtman (South Africa), Amanda Mushate (Zimbabwe), Azuka Muoh (Nigeria), Bulumko Mbete (South Africa), Buqaqawuli Nobakada (South Africa), and Sethembile Msezane (South Africa). BOTTOM ROW: Charity Vilakazi (South Africa), Nindya Bucktowar (Mauritius), Mikhailia Petersen (South Africa), Lebogang Mabusela (South Africa), Nada Baraka (Egypt), and Cazlynne Peffer (South Africa).
ANNA and Latitudes, two female-centric South African brands, come together once again to discover, recognise and nurture a new generation of women artists. In its second year, the ANNA Award is thrilled to extend participation beyond South African borders to include entries from the wider African continent.
For ANNA Pure Organic Pads and Liners – South Africa’s first locally produced, environmentally friendly sanitary range, this award is the next step in their mission to embolden and empower women.
Lucy MacGarry, co-founder of Latitudes, the fastest-growing online platform dedicated to art from Africa, explains that the ANNA Award celebrates women artists that show extraordinary originality, imagination and dedication in their creative careers.
Nina Carew, head of the ANNA Award at Latitudes, notes that ANNA and Latitudes continue to work hard to shine a light on women-identifying talent from Africa, while fostering an ethos of inclusivity and connection. “This year’s ANNA Award Top 12 offers fresh voices that have already begun to make their mark on the continent and beyond. While the cohort offers a range of interdisciplinary practices, mediums and conceptual frameworks engaged with the arts landscape on the continent at present, there is a subtle thread that weaves through and connects them all.”
After receiving 703 applications, from 28 countries across Africa, twelve finalists have been selected, and the submissions will be reviewed by the ANNA selection committee:
- Samallie Kiyingi – Lawyer, Art Collector and Founding member of the Tate’s African Acquisitions Committee, Australian-Ugandan
- Jana Terblanche – Art Curator and Development Strategist, South Africa
- Freda Isingoma -Founder of KIISA Art, African & Diaspora Art Ecosystem & Investment Specialist and Art collector, UK based
- Bridget Masinga – Producer, TV actor and Radio Host, South Africa
The Top twelve finalists are Nada Baraka (Egypt), Bulumko Mbete (South Africa), Buqaqawuli Nobakada (South Africa), Azuka Muoh (Nigeria), Charity Vilakazi (South Africa), Alexandra-Naledi Holtman (South Africa), Nindya Bucktowar (Mauritius), Sethembile Msezane (South Africa), Lebogang Mabusela (South Africa), Amanda Mushate (Zimbabwe), Mikhailia Petersen (South Africa) and Cazlynne Peffer (South Africa).
Meet the 12 finalists here.
The winner will receive a R100,000 cash prize from ANNA, a profile on Latitudes Online and a year’s supply of ANNA products. What’s more, the twelve finalists will be presented to the Latitudes audience, who will vote for an Audience Award winner.
The winner will be announced on Women’s Day, 9 August 2023.
Latitudes is an online destination to explore and buy contemporary art from Africa. With a constantly changing, curated selection of art from the continent and the diaspora, the site brings together artworks presented by galleries, curators, studios, not-for-profit organisations and independent artists themselves.
The first platform of this kind dedicated to art from Africa, Latitudes is designed to help collectors discover creativity from the continent in a non-intimidating and accessible way. With over 1600 artists represented on the site, Latitudes is well on its way to becoming the largest online destination for art from Africa.
Passionate as the organisation is about identifying and nurturing new talent, Latitudes introduced an Education programme in 2021, through which it has mentored and directly benefited over 200 creatives in Africa.
ANNA, South Africa’s first locally manufactured, environmentally friendly and organic menstrual product range is taking the lead in creating environmentally friendly sanitary products. The ANNA team believes that women who are conscious of their ecological footprint shouldn’t have to compromise comfort in the process of lowering their environmental impact.
By providing environmentally conscious women with a real alternative to traditional plastic sanitary products, ANNA is empowering women to take ownership of, not only their own physical wellbeing, but the wellbeing of the environment, too.
As a cohesive, global consciousness about the environmental impact of disposable, single-use plastic products are becoming more evident, plastic-free products, such as the ANNA pure organic product range, are starting to take the frontline on the shelves of responsible retailers. The range currently consists of two ground-breaking organic products, ANNA Maxi Pads and ANNA Liners.
Find ANNA Pure Organic Pads and Liners at the following stockists: Ackermans. Checkers, DisChem, Faithful to Nature, Natural Options, Pick ‘n Pay, and selected Spars.
