The Standard Bank Corporate Art Collection introduces Photography In Our Mother Tongue competition

[Boitumelo]

The Standard Bank Gallery's first exhibition of the year is underway. Titled Photographs in Our Mother Tongue, the exhibition includes images from Standard Bank Corporate Art Collection's wide-ranging selection of photographs made during the period between 2003 and 2017. 

With the spirit of inclusivity and public participation forming the discourse around photography the Standard Bank Gallery invites South Africans to celebrate the photographic medium by reimagining photography. The public is invited to capture images that are quintessential of one’s imaginativeness while drawing inspiration from the weekly masterclasses that will be conducted by some of the exhibiting artists, and entering the Photographs in Our Mother Tongue competition for a chance to win some great prizes.

The weekly masterclasses are inspired by incredible photographers who are technically skilled and highly knowledgeable in their areas of photography speciality. These include prominent artists such as Andrew Tshabangu, Natasha Christopher, Essop brothers, Hasan and Husain, Mikhael Subotzky including well-known jazz and documentary photographer and visual storyteller, Siphiwe Mhlambi.

The competition will run for six weeks starting from Monday, 19th of April until Friday, 28 May 2021. Each week a winner will be chosen based on their creativity and how they have managed to draw inspiration from the weekly theme in telling their own story through photography. The competition's overall winner will receive a Nikon D3500 DSLR 24.1MP with an 18-55mm DX VR Lens and the runner-up will receive a Laptop with a Photoshop software programme.  Weekly winners will be rewarded with short photography courses valued at R3 500 per course.

The stellar craftsman Andrew Tshabangu will present an inaugural masterclass titled "Black and White". This shall be succeeded by Natasha Christopher's session which will look at working with ordinary everyday things, while the third week will see the Essop brothers, Hasan and Husain, riff about community as an underlying theme in their work. The last two weeks will see Mikhael Subotzky emerging from his studio to discuss self-portraits and Siphiwe Mhlambi will speak about his philosophies around the live music photography work he does.

Through this competition, Standard Bank continues to shine the light on the path for many artists (professional and aspiring) to pursue their dreams. This embodies the brand proposition of IT CAN BE no matter the circumstances they come from or find themselves in.

To participate in the competition is simple and straightforward, as a photography enthusiast, whether you are a novice or master, Standard Bank invites you to capture an image that is inspired by the weekly themes then post it on Instagram using the official hashtags #Reimagined #ItCanBe.

Each week's runners-up will align with the particular week’s theme and three winners will be selected for a weekly prize and automatically qualify for the ultimate draw at the end of the sixth week. 

*The Standard Bank Corporate Art Collection - Photographs in Our Mother Tongue virtual exhibition can be viewed at art.sbvr.co.za for an immersive experience. Standard Bank is observing all necessary protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and the Standard Bank Gallery remains physically closed.

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•             Facebook: @StandardBankArts
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•              Instagram:  Standard Bank Arts
•              Website: www.standardbank.com/sponsorship