The JSE Art Collection Acquisition is one of the BNAP Foundation's most prestigious awards, recognising exceptional talent among the finalists of the annual Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize.
Each year, shortlisted artists are invited to present their work as part of a group exhibition hosted at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange — one of Africa's foremost financial institutions and a proud sponsor of the BNAP Foundation. The exhibition serves as both a celebration of emerging talent and the setting for the award ceremony, where winners across all BNAP categories are announced.
The JSE Acquisition winner is selected by a dedicated selection committee comprising the BNAP Foundation's adjudication panel for that year, together with the JSE Curator and Collection Manager and the JSE CEO. This cross-disciplinary committee brings together deep expertise in the arts, curation, and institutional leadership to ensure the most deserving work is recognised and preserved for the collection.The winning artist's work is acquired directly into the JSE Art Collection, offering lasting institutional recognition and visibility to a broad professional audience. This acquisition represents a significant milestone for any emerging artist — providing not only financial value, but a permanent place within one of South Africa's most respected corporate art collections.
The JSE Art Collection Acquisition is open to all group exhibition finalists who meet the BNAP Foundation's eligibility criteria: visual artists between the ages of 18 and 35, based in South Africa, who have not previously held a solo exhibition and are not represented by a gallery or artist manager.
Below is a list of the artists to have received the prize since its inception.
2026 JSE ART ACQUISITION PRIZE WINNER.KAMOGELO MOSEHLA
Kamogelo Mosehla (born in Benoni, South Africa) is a visual artist whose practice is rooted in process-based exploration and an ongoing engagement with improvisation as a method for making common cause with the brokenness of being. Raised in the township of Daveyton, the social, cultural, and sonic textures of this environment played a formative role in nurturing his creative curiosity and continue to shape the themes that animate his work.
Mosehla’s practice is informed by personal and collective histories of dislocation. As a young, emerging artist, his creative process evolves in continuous dialogue with his academic research, community influences, and sustained engagement with contemporary South African art discourse. This interplay between lived experience, intellectual inquiry, and aesthetic experimentation forms the core of his artistic language and ongoing visual investigations.
He has participated in group exhibitions including SAIIA 90th anniversary reception 2024 ,Affects/ Effects - Fada Gallery 2024 , 2nd Anniversary Exhibition - The Gallery at Steyn City 2025, Winter’s Touch -The Gallery at Steyn City and RMB Latitudes 2026.
2025 JSE ART
ACQUISITION PRIZE WINNER.NATHANIEL SHEPPARD III
Nathaniel Sheppard III, born in 1989, is a Printmaker and Painter and Collage artist, in Johannesburg, South Africa. His journey as a visual artist and printmaker reflects a convergence of cultural / historical influences and a commitment to exploring the socio-
political context of his surroundings.
Having spent his formative years in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, Sheppard's educational background in architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-ARC) provided him with a unique perspective on spatial dynamics and design principles. However, it was his move to Johannesburg and enrollment at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) to study Fine Arts that marked a pivotal moment in his artistic development.
At WITS, Sheppard discovered a passion for printmaking, a medium that would become central to his visual practice. His time at David Krut Projects
further honed his skills, where he had the opportunity to work alongside experienced printmakers like Jillian Ross, contributing to projects for renowned artists.
This experience not only expanded his technical proficiency but also deepened his understanding of the
collaborative ethos inherent in printmaking,
particularly within the South African context.
Overall, Nathaniel Sheppard III's visual progression is characterised by a synthesis of diverse influences, a commitment to technical mastery, and a profound engagement with the socio-political landscape of South Africa and the Diaspora. Through his work, he
continues to push the boundaries of printmaking while advocating for the recognition of its historical and cultural significance.
2024 JSE ART ACQUISITION PRIZE WINNER. LERATO NTILI
Lerato Ntili (b. 2001) is a South African artist born and raised in Bloemfontein, Free State currently based in Johannesburg. She has recently completed her BA (Honours)in Fine Arts at the University of Pretoria.
Ntili draws with light within her black and white photography and through this creates animportant view and structure on lighting by capturing the essence of the self and subject. Ntili’s practice revolves around the body and object. A doorway through thesense of fragility and storytelling displaying healing and belief.
She has participated in group exhibitions including Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Top 100 2021, Sasol New Signatures 2021, Creatress Mashumi Art Projects 2022, Turbine Art Fair Unearthed 2022, Future Africa Exhibition 2022, Son of Langa: Identity and community 2022, Undergraduate Exhibition In Passing 2023, Turbine Art Fair Talent 2023 , Everything in and out: Umbhedesho 2023 and RMB Latitudes 2025.
