SA photographer bags prestigious awards in France, walks away with lucrative prize money

South African photographer Tshepiso Mazibuko has walked away with more than R90,000 in prize money after winning two awards at the Rencontres d’Arles summer photography festival in France.

“It’s a huge honour to be recognised by the Arles Photography Festival with these awards. Having the chance to share my work at the festival alone has been richly rewarding,” said Mazibuko after her win.

Mazibuko was awarded the 2024 Discovery Award Louis Roederer Foundation’s Public Award and the prestigious Madame Figaro Photo Award for her exhibition Ho tshepa ntshepedi ya bontshepe (To Believe in Something That Will Never Happen).

Self-portraits and community-focused imagery

Mazibuko’s work looks at the impact of the political designation ‘born-free’ on South Africa’s post-1994 black youth generation.

The title, derived from a Sesotho proverb, explores the paradoxical nature of this label and how the remnants of apartheid have hindered the full realisation of freedom.

Through self-portraits and community-focused imagery, Mazibuko examines her own experiences and societal constructs.

Curator of the exhibition Audrey Illouz was impressed by how succinct Mazibuko’s photography is.

“Tshepiso’s images seem to be suspended in time,” said Illouz.

“Adopting an introspective approach, she paints an intimate portrait where frustration and benevolence coexist, where violence is latent, where faces are often tense, sometimes strained, sometimes proud, occasionally absorbed but rarely light-hearted.”

Through self-portraits and community-focused imagery, Mazibuko examines her own experiences and societal constructs.

Found in 1970, the Rencontres d’Arles is revered as one of Europe’s premier photography events.

For the Discovery Award, festival visitors voted during the opening week for their favourite artist. Mazibuko received the highest number of votes, earning a €5,000 prize [more than R98,000].

Dedicated to women photographers, the Madame Figaro Photo Award honours an outstanding artist featured in the festival’s program.

“So to receive this added recognition is really encouraging. I look forward to using the prize to continue realising the work that has brought me this far,” said the South African.

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‘Well-deserved recognition’

Mazibuko completed her photography studies at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg in 2016 and uses her medium to comment on political, societal, landscape, and historical themes.

Her work has been exhibited at the Ithuba Art Gallery (Johannesburg), Ghent Photo Festival (Belgium), LagosPhoto (Nigeria), Turbine Art Fair (Johannesburg), Iziko South African National Gallery (Cape Town), and Addis Foto Fest (Ethiopia), among others.

She is a recipient of the Tierney Fellowship (2017) and the Prince Claus Fund Award (2018) and became a member of the Umhlabathi Collective in 2021.

Mazibuko is also a product of the Of Soul and Joy Project which has produced renowned young South African photographers such as Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Vuyo Mabheka and Sibusiso Bheka.

“We’re so proud of Tshepiso for receiving this well-deserved recognition. Her work speaks to the difficulty of confronting the identity of ‘born-free’ thrust onto her generation, which she so powerfully captures through the people in her image,” said Of Soul and Joy Project Manager and mentor Jabulani Dhlamini.

“Tshepiso receiving these accolades is a testament to the critical value of her project, which crosses cultures and resonates with diverse audiences. For us at Of Soul and Joy, this is the ultimate realisation of the work we aim to achieve with our students.”

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