BRIEF

The Stellenbosch Outdoor Photography Exhibition Student Competition asked participants to centre their projects around the themes 'The Alchemy' and 'Freedom I dream up for myself and others'. These two themes gave the individual an opportunity to select a theme that inspired and spoke to them, and then visually explore it in a myriad of ways. We asked entrants to show us a story through 5 images where the theme/s were the focal point.

Images could be taken on any device and shot in any style – be black & white or colour – and approached from any angle they felt best. Each of the visual submissions was to be entered with a creative rationale of 300 words, no entry fee was required, submission had to be a maximum of 5 images and proof of registration to either University of Stellenbosch or Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography was required.

​The Competition closed at the beginning of September and all entries were reviewed by our esteemed panel of judges. Three finalists were shortlisted and have been given the opportunity to exhibit their selected works as part of the Stellenbosch Outdoor Photography Exhibition curated by Anelisa Mangcu​. The overall winner was announced and Thapelo Mahlangu received the title of Stellenbosch Triennale Student Photographer of the Year as well as other major prizes. ​

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The Student Exhibition is currently in construction and will open in January 2024.

THEMES

• The Alchemy

• Freedom, I dream up for myself and others.

JUDGES

• Casper Kofi

• Anissa Touati

• Lungi Morrison

• Usen Esiet

• Sarah Diouf

• Paul Ninson

• Ashley Walters

• Anelisa Mangcu

RESULTS

WINNER

THAPELO MAHLANGU

Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography

@teepee_mahlangu

ABOUT ME 

I was born in 1994 in Soweto, the first born of two boys. Fortunately, my parents provided me with the opportunity to be in a private school. Every day I travelled from the township, past the city to the suburbs, returning late at the end of each day. I lived in two worlds, a double life, with the people from the each completely opposite from one another. I am grateful for that upbringing because it broadened my perspective and gave me a deeper understanding of people and how to engage with them. 

It took me a few years before I discovered the medium of photography. I played semi-professional soccer after school, then my love for cooking took me to culinary school. Working in a restaurant made me realise cooking was not for me. In 2017 my photography journey began and today, as a student of the Stellenbosch Academy of Photography and Design, I know that it is a passion that I will continue to explore and cultivate for the rest of my life. I hope my work will have an impact visually, mentally and more importantly, make you feel something.

ARTIST STATEMENT

With this series of self-portraits, I explore the theme “The Alchemy” of My Body Being My Home". It explores a personal journey of self-discovery and the realization that our physical and emotional homes are intricately connected to our inner selves, this revealed to me that true home is found within one’s own body. Growing up in the townships, my parents' house was my sanctuary, my initial concept of home, while city life revealed the adaptability of the concept of home navigating a new environment and relationships. Later, my studies led me to the coastal region, another shift in my sense of place, by recognizing the alchemical transformation within myself., I realized that regardless of the external surroundings the key to creating a home lies within oneself.

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Through this theme, I aim to convey the idea that our bodies are the ultimate vessel for experiencing the alchemy of life. They are the constant in a world of ever-changing landscapes and surroundings. Bodies encapsulate our memories, experiences, and emotions, turning each space we occupy into a unique part of our journey. This theme invites viewers to contemplate the significance of inner peace and self-acceptance in the creation of a home, wherever life may take us.

FINALIST

ROBYN GARSTMAN

Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography

@robyn_garstman

ABOUT ME

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I’m Robyn, a photographer from Knysna, raised within the Garden Route. I work with digital and analogue photography as well as the moving image. I completed my degree in Visual Communication at the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography. Art that interests me the most has always been conceptually focused on the human experience, which is a theme that I often bring into my photographic work.

ARTIST STATEMENT

In youth, dreams are freeing and are as vibrant and vivid as the world itself. As we mature, those dreams take on muted hues, reflecting the complexities of real-life constraints and the human experience. In the same way, spaces we used to inhabit and activities that we once enjoyed, are now passed without a second glance, as they are no longer filled with the excitement and wonder of childhood. The series aims to challenge viewers' perception of colour and its absence with passing time, offering a thought-provoking visual exploration of the fleeting nature of life.

GINA THERON

Stellenbosch University + Stellenbosch Academyof Design & Photography

ABOUT ME

I am currently enrolled in the Higher Certificate program in Commercial Photography at Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography while finishing my studies in BA Fine Art at Stellenbosch University. I am influenced by everyday situations and relationships, and through my practice I use skills across multiple mediums in attempt to create personal and intuitive responses to my environment.

Whether quick and spontaneous or pored over inquisitively, I am drawn to moments and memories that reveal the delicate, fleeting nature of our collective and personal experiences. I am interested in the human figure and incorporate certain interpretations thereof throughout my work, in both recognizable and abstracted ways.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Brewing potions, capturing souls and speaking in tongues comes to mind when I hear the word ‘Alchemy’. I picture cloaks and beards, whisps dancing in the dark.

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A mystical art; a perfection of the human body and divine spirituality; the cure to any ailment and connection to the deepest parts of the human soul; to transmute into gold and purify. It is rooted in material and physical processes yet strives for perfection and immortality.

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Today, we are plagued by shadows of doubt and still, the search for perfection. We are grounded in truth, in science and experience, but the hunt for clairvoyance is still alive through our lack of certainty. Our praises are reserved for the longest lives, and the highest enlightenment. We are consumed by the ghosts that surge through and around us, forever untangling their diligent grip, but we will keep brewing. We will keep our ears open to unspoken whispers, while feeling textured earth beneath our feet, and we will be rewarded by webs of light for opening our eyes to the unseen.