Kagiso Patrick Mautloa studied art at the Rorke’s Drift Art Centre in KwaZulu-Natal and at the Mofolo Art Centre in Soweto. He has participated in Thupelo and Triangle workshops, held numerous solo and group exhibitions, and has work in a number of important public collections across South Africa.

His work explores the street life around him and his studio at the Bag Factory (Fordsburg Artists’ Studios) in downtown Johannesburg. He observes the women roasting mielies (corn) over coal-fired tin braziers on street corners; wholesalers and hawkers selling cheap imports from the Far East; and street traders who eke out a living with a few items displayed on small boards near busy intersections.

Working with figurative elements, abstract textures and multiple colour overlays, Mautloa explores the possibilities of lithography. He has made innovative use of drawing materials in his prints, using found objects as stencils through which he sprays tusche and toner. Textures are an important part of Mautloa’s work. As he works, he notices the mundane surfaces around him and sometimes incorporates them into his artwork.

Unexpected things, such as the rough surface of a well-used cutting board or a worn-out cotton rag, hold a new fascination and beauty for him. Delicate drawing and seemingly random splatters entice the viewer and challenge us to look at the world in a new way.

Kagiso Patrick Mautloa is an artist whose work eludes a neat definition. He is as comfortable working in abstraction as he is with more figurative imagery. Most of his work is created in oils and acrylics, but he has also incorporated found objects and collage into his two-dimensional work. He has produced a number of installations and has also worked with photography.

Lee-Ann Olwage is a visual storyteller from South Africa who uses collaborative storytelling to explore themes relating to gender and identity. She is interested in using the medium of photography as a mode of celebration and aims to create a space where people she collaborates with can play an active part in the creation of images, they feel tells their stories in a way that is affirming and celebratory.

Her journey in photography began unexpectedly after studying film directing and scriptwriting. Following her education, she spent nine years working as a set decorator in the film industry, an experience that profoundly shaped her approach to narrative and visual composition. Through this background, Olwage developed a keen eye for capturing not just imagery but also narratives. She is particularly interested in reflecting on the way in which different cultures and communities interpret mental health and stories about education. Through her art, Olwage fosters a sense of community and creates vivid narratives filled with possibility.

The Right To Play creates a powerful narrative that sheds light on the challenges faced by millions of girls globally in their pursuit of an education. Every day, girls face barriers to education caused by poverty, cultural norms and practices, poor infrastructure and violence. The project poses the question - What do girls dream of? And what happens when a supportive environment is created where girls are empowered and given the opportunity to learn and dream? What does that world look like?

The result is a poignant exploration of the dreams and aspirations of young girls, challenging societal expectations that limit their potential. By creating a playful world where girls are not confined by poverty, cultural norms, or violence and instead, is shown through a lens that paints a vivid picture of the possibilities that arise when girls are given the opportunity to learn and dream freely. The Right To Play merges storytelling with an imagined playful world where girls are the shown in an empowered and affirming way blooming as the heroines of their own stories and overcoming the many barriers to getting an education.

Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Vogue, The British Journal of Photography, Foam magazine, Geo, The Guardian, Atmos, Vanity Fair Italy, Dazed, Wired, Musee Magazine and IMA Magazine. Notable awards include a World Press Photo Award, 2020, 2023 & 2024, Sony World Photography Awards, 2023, International Women in Photo Award Laurette 2023, Winner of This Is Gender, 2021, Pride Photo Award, 2021, CAP Prize winner, 2022, Marilyn Stafford Fotoreportage Award shortlist, 2021+2022, International Photography Awards Honourable Mention, 2020 and selected for The New York Times Portfolio Review 2022.