The nine participating artists were: Anthony Cawood, Donovan Ward, Jill Trappler, Kim Gurney, Mthabisi Phili, Mwaba Chandia, Songezo Zantsi, Witty Nyide-Mchunu, Yonela Makoba
Reflecting on the work I created: Working towards content for a book. Illustrations became impressions. Impressions from remembered experiences became images. Active imagination contributes to the feeling of a memory/ image.
PRESS RELEASE:
Now in its seventh year, the Siyabonana Workshop, coordinated by Cape Town-based artist and facilitator Jill Trappler, continues to cultivate a space where artists collaborate, reflect and create. Held annually at the Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa) BMW Centre for Art Education in Cape Town, the workshop is more than just a programme. Rooted in its name, Siyabonana, which means “we see each other” in isiZulu, the workshop invites artists to truly see one another — not only through their work but through their shared intentions, vulnerabilities and visions. It is a space where community overrides competition.
This edition brings together nine artists from across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia, working in a shared studio space. Unlike traditional residencies, there is no set theme and no outcome-based assessment. Instead, artists engage deeply with their own practices while remaining open to learning from one another through dialogue, exchange and example. The artists include both early-career and established artists, reflecting a dynamic mix of approaches, backgrounds and lived experiences.
Situated within Zeitz MOCAA — one of the continent’s most significant contemporary art institutions — adds another layer of enrichment. Artists have access to the Museum’s archives, current exhibitions and occasionally take part in public programming, connecting their practices to a broader artistic ecosystem. Siyabonana stands as a powerful counterpoint: a reminder that deep, meaningful artistic development often happens in quiet, collective spaces.
