The Durban University of Technology will host the annual Emma Smith Art Scholarship Award Ceremony 2013 on Wednesday next week (12 February 2014) where the recipient will win a R40 000 scholarship.
The Emma Smith Art Scholarship was incepted in 1920 by KwaZulu-Natal sugar industry magnate Sir Charles Smith. Smith’s endowment, named in memory of his mother, was made in appreciation of the work of visionary Art School Head John Adams.
Over the last 80 years, the most talented art and design students from the Durban University of Technology and the scholarship’s legacy institutions have been able to engage in further studies as recipients of the prestigious Emma Smith Award.
Miss Elsie Currie was the first winner of the award. Previous award winners include South African creatives: photographer Angela Buckland, renowned corporate trend analyst and design consultant Dion Chang as well as fashion designer Karen Monk-Klijnstra.
DUT is proud to announce its nine finalists competing for this years’ award:
Kylie Folkard – Fashion Design
Benazeer Mulla – Fashion Design
Mhlonishwa Chiliza – Fine Art
Bongani Khanyile – Fine Art
Kai Pretorius – Graphic Design
Mileshaa Subramani – Graphic Design
Siyanda Mbele – Interior Design
Xolisa Ndovela – Interior Design
Elena Kudrya-Marais – Photography
While the original intention of the Emma Smith scholarship was to allow winners to go overseas to study, the award has been extended to include a variety of purposes or projects proposed by the candidates, such as community based workshops, further study in South Africa or the African continent and or solo exhibitions.
There is no age restriction attached to this award. Each candidate must be completing a Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree of Technology. The competition is open to students from the full range of design, visual and performing arts programmes offered at the institution and members of the judging panel are drawn from leading practitioners in the various disciplines, nominated by heads of departments.
The nine finalists are required to exhibit a body of work for adjudication as the scholarship is intended to benefit a candidate who has produced a body of works which displays competence, professionalism and during the interviews, shows confidence, maturity in his or her field of study.
They must also be present at the time when their work is being viewed and be prepared to be interviewed. Once the finalists have been interviewed, the judges will decide who walks away with the prize and make the announcement at the annual awards ceremony.
An exhibition of the finalists’ works will be on view at the DUT City Campus’ Interior Design Department (Room 24) from Wednesday 12 February 2014. The exhibition runs until Friday 21 February 2014.
The event will take place as follows:
Time: 17h30 for 18h00
Date: Wednesday 12 February 2014
Venue: DUT City Campus, Arthur Smith Hall (Award Announcement)
Exhibition Opening: Room 24, Interior Design, City Campus
Secure parking is available and snacks will be provided.
– Waheeda Peters
Pictured: Songezo Baleni, the 2012 Emma Smith Art Scholarship Award winner. Songezo Baleni has been recognised throughout South Africa as a young emerging and talented jewellery designer; recently winning the House and Leisure’s Rising Stars competition. Baleni will be exhibiting his latest work at the upcoming Design Indaba in Cape Town, and is a candidate for the Design Indaba’s Innovation Award. A sneak preview of Baleni’s newest hand-woven jewellery items will be included in this year’s 2013 Emma Smith Art Award Exhibition.
Photo credit: Dane Knudsen
