GEORGE NEWS - Artworks by one of our own are currently on exhibition at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Art Gallery until mid-January. Callan Grecia, a born and bred Durbanite who moved to George last year, is one of four finalists chosen by art curator Khanya Mashabela for a biannual nationwide competition, MTN x UJ New Contemporary Awards.
The event took place on 25 November at the Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre at the UJ's Kingsway Campus.
The competition places a strong emphasis on digital media, with a focus on innovative ways and digital solutions that can contribute towards art education and skills development among young South African artists.
This year, over a period of five months, the selected artists worked closely with the 2022 curator, Khanya Mashabela, in developing and presenting a collaborative vision that has seen each artist come into their own.
The winner of the overall Artist Award is Inga Somdyala, based in Cape Town. The other two finalists are Thandiwe Msebenzi, also from Cape Town and Natalie Paneng from Johannesburg.
Up Yours (2021), acrylic on canvas.
The theme of the competition, "New Beginnings: Nurturing our Digital Imaginations", is aimed to identify, support, mentor and promote worthy artists who have not yet received critical acclaim.
Grecia said George is a new experience for him, where he now practises art full-time. "I have been fortunate to make art my full-time job since 2020," he said.
Grecia holds a Master of Fine Art degree in painting from Rhodes University (2017). He has always had an interest in music, fashion and photography, and discovered in painting a way to explore new modes of expression.
He credits his early experiences in hip hop and fashion with unlocking an experimental, almost playful approach to painting. The result is an energetic portfolio of work that has evolved organically with the artist's taste in music and fashion.
Transform (2021), acrylic on canvas.
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