We are proud to introduce the 11 top finalists for the 2025 Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize. These emerging artists have demonstrated exceptional talent, vision, and dedication to their practice. As we move forward in the selection process, we celebrate their creative voices and the impact they bring to contemporary art.
Kimberly Isibusiso Mduli
a multidisciplinary artist working across mixed media, photography, and collage. Born in Whittlesea, Eastern Cape, she draws inspiration from the strong women in her family, particularly her mother and grandmother, who nurtured her creativity from an early age. Her practice is deeply personal and introspective, shaped by experiences of migration, self-discovery, and the pursuit of freedom. Mduli’s work explores themes of memory,
longing, and urban life, weaving together elements of surrealism, music, and cultural heritage to create evocative visual narratives. She is drawn to the quiet, overlooked moments—resilience in everyday life, the poetry within cityscapes, and the unspoken stories embedded in found materials
Miangaly Elia
(b. 2002, Antananarivo, Madagascar) is a self-taught visual artist whose work explores the nuances of the human condition through miniature dioramas. Drawing inspiration from childhood memories, dreams, and her immediate environment, she constructs intimate worlds that challenge established norms and reimagine reality beyond external constraints. Originally trained in architecture, Elia integrates spatial awareness into her practice, depicting familiar urban landscapes,
buildings, and domestic spaces. Her dioramas serve as a poetic and sensory exploration, transforming overlooked elements into evocative narratives.By merging architectural references with personal and historical memory, she invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with space and the stories embedded within it. Elia’s work is a fusion of technical precision and emotional depth, balancing realism with dreamlike reflections on resilience, identity, and perception.
Joy Mwali
is a ceramic artist exploring the Shadow Self—the hidden facets of fear, desire, and insecurity. Her work examines anxiety as a dance, allowing it to move freely rather than be suppressed. Using paper clay and wire, she deconstructs and reconstructs forms to mirror personal growth, with wire symbolizing the unseen energies within us. Through intentional color choices, white for purity, blue for truth, and green for healing, her pieces invite self-reflection and acceptance. Mwali holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Ceramics
from Tshwane University of Technology and has exhibited in major galleries, including Berman Art Gallery, The Viewing Room Art Gallery, and Strauss & Co. Her meticulous approach transforms ceramics into a therapeutic practice, encouraging deeper engagement with the complexities of human emotion
Siyabonga Mtshali
(b.1998) is a provocative young multi-disciplinary artist hailing from the coast of KwaZulu Natal, Richards Bay. His the founder and director of Siyababa Atelier is a conceptual fashion brand that pioneers in a new African avant-garde by
marrying the two ideas of art and fashion. The young artist left his small town in 2017 to Johanessburg to receive his BA FASHION AND DESIGN in 2021. Siyabongas move to Johannesburg exposed him to queer community's that helped him find his new artist voice
and alter ego now widely-known as Siyababa which translates directly to "We are hot". Mtshali's mission is to challenge the dominance of Western media and heteronormative spaces in defining nonbinary experiences, crafting a unique narrative for bisexual Zulu men, a representation he has personally found lacking. His work delves into the aesthetics of identity, power, and gender, aiming to subvert the status quo and provide a fresh perspective on the fashion industry and his own experiences for a younger version of himself.
Getrude Itumeleng Mtshali
is a South African artist from Thabazimbi, Limpopo, currently studying Fine Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand. She previously earned a Higher Certificate in Architectural Technology from Inscape, graduating top of her class in 2022. With over 15 years of experience in drawing, Mtshali’s practice has expanded to include photography, painting,
and printmaking. Her work is deeply personal, reflecting her upbringing, environment, and the people who shaped her. Inspired by South African artists like Zandile Tshabalala and Jabulani Dhlamini, she explores themes of identity and storytelling, using art as a means of self-exploration and cultural expression.
Nathaniel Sheppard III
is a printmaker, painter, and collage artist based in Johannesburg. His work examines the consumption and retelling of histories through storytelling, using printmaking and collage as tools for historical interrogation. Trained in architecture at SCI-ARC before studying Fine Arts at WITS, Sheppard honed his printmaking skills at David Krut Projects. His practice explores historical imagery of Black identities, drawing from his African American and Coloured/Indian South African heritage.
By incorporating found media, he engages in "dubbing over" history—cutting, pasting, and layering imagery to critique how narratives are constructed and consumed. Sheppard also integrates elements of Kawaii—a Japanese aesthetic of cuteness, as a response to turbulence, paralleling post-war cultural shifts.
Given Muronga
sees art as a form of journaling, preserving experiences shaped by history and cultural narratives. His work explores the human experience within its environment, questioning how surroundings influence decision-making and societal roles.
Raised between the township and the village, Muronga witnessed socio-economic disparities firsthand. Storytelling was central to his upbringing—gathered around a fire, he listened to family recount histories and heritage.
The fire, alongside the boiling drievoet, became a symbol of warmth, resilience, and connection in a village where electricity was scarce. Through his art, Muronga continues this tradition, using visual storytelling to reflect on identity, memory, and community.
Zilien
is a multidisciplinary artist from Mauritius, blending painting, installation, and sculpture, with painting being the heart of his creative expression. Born in 1995, he earned a BA (Hons) in Fine Arts and a Master’s degree in Arts from École Supérieure d’Art et de Design Marseille.
Influenced by philosophy and psychology, particularly Jung and Krishnamurti, his work explores perception, emotion, and the subconscious.Zilien uses techniques like automatism to tap into the inner world, creating dreamscapes that dissolve boundaries between the tangible and ethereal. His art is a reflection on the human psyche, blending personal memory with metaphysical inquiry, inviting viewers into a silent dialogue between the known and unknown.
Emmanuel Odogwu
is a contemporary artist and curator based in Lagos with a Bachelor's degree in Visual Art from the University of Lagos. Mentored by his father, renowned sculptor Fidelis Odogwu, Emmanuel’s art explores the sensuality of color and the human form.
Influenced by Fauvist masters like Andre Derain and Henri Matisse, his paintings delve into themes of identity, spirituality, and social issues.Odogwu challenges traditional representations of black skin, using vibrant colors and eloquent figures to create an intimate dialogue with viewers. His work reflects his emotional landscape, aiming to bring balance and serenity through a symbolic visual language.
Keonah Nyembe
(b. 2003, Johannesburg) is a visual artist exploring the complexities of identity, memory, and the environment. Her work challenges conventional ideas of reality, blending organic forms with abstract elements to delve into the human experience and our relationship with the natural world.
Nyembe’s recent series, inspired by the mythical figure Awet, explores the Anthropocene era, combining printmaking, sculpture, and installation. Nyembe's vibrant, tactile works invite viewers to reconsider their connection to nature and the urgency for a sustainable future. With a BA in Visual Art from the University of Johannesburg, Nyembe’s practice spans painting, printmaking, and installation. Her work has been featured in group exhibitions such as "At the Threshold" and the "SAIIA 90th Anniversary" exhibition. Through her art, she aims to provoke thought, spark conversation, and inspire positive change.
Khanyisa Agnes Brancon
is a Johannesburg-based multidisciplinary artist who explores printmaking, photography, and installation through an interdisciplinary approach. Her work prioritizes materiality, often using textiles, and addresses themes such as labor, leisure, maternal lineage, and the black experience. Brancon’s art engages with contemporary feminist perspectives, focusing on the intersection of representation for black women reflecting on personal and family histories. Spirituality also plays a significant role in her practice, shaping her exploration of life experiences.
Her practice traces genealogy, blending spiritual heritage and personal understanding. Brancon’s art is an ongoing process of discovery, with each memory and story adding layers to a fabric of intimacy and storytelling, as seen in works like The Tablecloth, which serves as both a map and a mirror.