Absa L'Atelier Art 2026 Winners Named as Competition Marks 40 Years
- The Absa L'Atelier Art Competition announced four winners at a glittering ceremony held at Waterfall City Park on 10 October 2026
- Artists from Ghana, Zambia, and Nigeria claimed the Ambassador Awards, with Zambia winning the title for the very first time
- South African sculptor Treasure Mlima from Durban walked away with the prestigious Gerard Sekoto Award
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Source: UGC
Four emerging African artists have been named the winners of the 2026 Absa L'Atelier Art Competition, with the announcement made at the Absa L'Atelier Art & Lifestyle Fair at Waterfall City Park on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The milestone event doubled as the competition's 40th anniversary celebration.
Three artists claimed the Absa L'Atelier Art Ambassador Awards: Reginald Boateng from Ghana, Emmanuel Chisenga from Zambia, and Segun Owolabi from Nigeria. The fourth honour, the Absa L'Atelier Art Gerard Sekoto Award, went to Durban-born sculptor Treasure Mlima.
Treasure Mlima Heads to Paris
Durban artist Treasure Mlima, born in 1999, works primarily in carved wood, a material he traces back to his upbringing. Drawing on a background in architectural draughting, he reconstructs the human form within what he describes as distinct spatial pockets, operating between blurred abstraction, figuration, and surrealism. His work has been exhibited in South Korea and featured with institutions including Chelouche Gallery and Serge Tiroche Contemporary, with pieces held in several private and institutional collections.
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As the Gerard Sekoto Award recipient, Mlima will undertake a three-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris from April to June 2027, along with a solo exhibition supported by R100,000 from Absa.
Jean Spiri, Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of France in South Africa and Director of IFAS, noted the award's deeper purpose: "Gerard Sekoto's legacy reminds us of the importance of artistic freedom and exchange across borders. Through this award, emerging South African artists can develop their practice and forge international connections."
The competition, run in partnership with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA), has been a fixture on the continent's art calendar since 1986. This year's edition attracted a record number of registrations from artists across Absa's 12 African markets.
Artists eager to enter the next cycle should note that entries for the 2027 competition open in March 2027 and close at the end of April 2027.
Source: Briefly News
