The winners of the Thuthuka Jewellery Development Progamme and Jewellery
Award 2014-2015 were announced at the Gala Opening of the 2015 Exhibition at
the University of Johannesburg FADA Gallery on 20 February.
The two overall winners are:
- Themba Mantshiyo from the University of Johannesburg; and
- Malehlohonolo Moorosi from the Erkhurhuleni Jewellery Project.
The awards were presented by Thuthuka Jewellery project director Carola
Ross and handed over by
Professor Federico Freschi, Dean of the Faculty of Art, Design and
Architecture (FADA).
Thuthuka Jewellery Awards 2015
has introduced a second Overall Winner category, thereby recognizing excellence
in students from the University Jewellery Programmes as well as the Community
Schools and FET Colleges.
Say’s Director Carola Ross: “This significant shift in the way that we
award the prizes is in order to recognize the innovation and excellence of all the
entries despite the challenges that may be faced by the different institutions
in terms of technical support, resources or equipment. While some students in
community or FET contexts do not have access to the same level of technical
facilities they still demonstrate the same high level of creativity, excellence
and innovation. We believe that two categories recognize this while
acknowledging that the contexts in which the students are working differ. “
The Thuthuka Jewellery
Development Programme is sponsored by the Department of Arts and Culture and supported
by various jewellery design schools, industry players and community groups developing
the design abilities of young talented designers entering the jewellery
trade in South Africa.
With over 300 entries from nine institutions across
four provinces in South Africa, the Thuthuka Jewellery Awards is established as
the industry benchmark for innovation and excellence in the design of
contemporary handmade jewellery. Over 1200 students have benefited from the
programme since 2008. Founder and Director Carola Ross says, “the most
significant outcome is the students’ sense of pride, self-confidence and above
all the ability to think critically and analytically, which is central to good
design”.
Thuthuka jewellery 2015 has welcomed two new sponsors: Browns The Diamond Store who sponsored the overall
university winner a bursary valued at R25 000.00 and the community college
winner a bursary valued at R10 000.00. The second new sponsor Skye
Distribution, representing Converse, gave each of the 29 category winners a
pair of Converse sneakers.
The award evening made an exciting development when sponsors, The Browns
Diamond Store and the Department of Arts and culture surprised the students at
the Prize giving with additional prizes. Browns doubled all the silver awarded
to the 29 category winners and the Department of Arts and Culture gave the two
runners-up a R25 000.00 bursary each, congratulations to Zadie Becker and
Mildah Motshegwa who are both current BTech students at the University of
Johannesburg.
Developments to the programme this year also include
the participation of students from the North West province and Limpopo
Provinces as well as an expansion of
access to two institutions working with hearing-impaired groups.
The 2014-2015 Thuthuka Jewellery Awards challenged
students to stretch themselves beyond their normal daily curriculum. The 2014
competition focused on the fashion industry and in particular on accessories,
in this instance shoes, aptly captured in the theme ‘Sho! Shoe Jewellery?’ Students have been challenged to construct
multifunctional contemporary pieces inspired by the South African insect.
Entrants were judged on how they interpreted the natural shapes, textures and
unique patterning of insects and translated these into multifunctional
jewellery pieces that can double up as shoe trimming, beautiful jewellery or
hair accessories.
Out of the 300 participants in 2014, the work of 125
finalists is on the 2015 exhibition, with 29 category winners. The winners in
each category are selected by a panel of respected independent judges including Elizabeth Loubser, Masana Chikeka, Tiaan
nagel, Albert Maree, Walter Oltman and Veronica Anderson.
 |
| Themba Mantshiyo, Multitasking |
The 2015 University
Category Overall Winner is Themba
Mantshiyo from the University of Johannesburg. His multifunctional design piece
can be combined into a single shoe trimming or worn as earrings, a neck piece
and a bracelet. Themba’s technically sound and conceptual strong work is about
a woman’s ability to multitask,
Says Themba,
“my inspiration came from the many legs of a spider and my mom who can do many
different things at the same time”.
The second overall winner Malehlohonolo Moorosi from
Ekurhuleni Jewellery project has designed sterling silver, brass and copper
rings and earrings with a heel piece which becomes a single drop earring. Malehlohonolo
is currently a level 2 student and has a strong design sensibility. Her theme
this year was powerlines and fireflies.
Join director
Carola Ross for a walkabout at the gallery on Wednesday 25 February a 17h30
Exhibition closes 12 March 2014
About Thuthuka Jewellery
The Thuthuka
Jewellery Development Programme is a Gauteng-based peer mentorship
programme that provides a mentorship programme in jewellery design and
manufacturing to jewellery students from FET colleges and community jewellery
schools across four provinces in South Africa. University jewellery design
students also participate in the competition. The curriculum is focused on
enhancing innovation and excellence in the production of contemporary handmade
jewellery.
The Thuthuka Jewellery Awards is an annual
competition that provides a national platform for student jewellers to have
their work professionally showcased. Winning designs are awarded bursaries as
well as prizes in the form of the tools essential to the jeweller’s practice to
galvanise their entry into industry.