Sizwe Khoza wins 2019 Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Award
Khoza says for him it was always a matter of when, not if he would one day win the prestigious award.
Sizwe Khoza’s determination has finally paid off after he won the 2019 Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Award.
Khoza says for him it was always a matter of when, not if he would one day win the prestigious award.
“I first entered the competition in 2010, then 2011, 2014 and finally this year.
“It’s not that I did anything differently this year, it’s all about the group I was up against.
“When I first entered I was still a student, and I used to enter a lot of competitions.
“This year, I entered with the aim of winning it, and my work was up to standard,” says Khoza.
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For Khoza, the win is a nice acknowledgement of his hard work in getting to this point in his career.
The artist says growing up, he didn’t have things easy and had to do a lot of side jobs to fund his passion.
“Once my family saw how hard I was working to pursue my chosen career, they took me seriously and supported me.
“To be the artist I am today, I worked hard; I was also a teacher and a mentor,” says Khoza.
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Khoza says a win like this is a boost as it can change people’s perspective of you.
The Mozambican-born Khoza, who specialises in painting and printmaking, says his work is almost autobiographical as he draws on his personal experiences growing up and people from Mozambique, and says it’s a great feeling when someone else can identify with his work.
Khoza says he will not be resting on his laurels after his big win.
He will have an exhibition in New York next year and will continue creating more art in the years to come.
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