South African ‘artivist’ Natania Botha turned heads at the WOW Africa 50 Women Awards, receiving the Honour Award for Environmental and Creative Stewardship!
Johannesburg, South Africa (12 March 2026) – The awards, held on 7 March in Sandton, celebrate 50 extraordinary women across the continent who are making the world a better place through leadership, innovation and service to their communities.
Botha has spent years carving out her space in the Venn of art, activism and environmentalism.
It’s a walk along the beach in Durban almost ten years ago that sparked it all. Botha saw a shoreline buried in plastic and couldn’t unsee it, so she threw herself into environmental activism, earned recognition from the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, got herself into global forums, and collaborated with the UN Environment Programme.
Art gets through to people differently. Botha discovered this along the way, and so began her journey as an ‘artivist’, creating works that reflected what words perhaps couldn’t say about humanity and the environment, in a manner that captures people in an entirely different way.
Natania’s voice and experiences married in the form of mosaic mannequins, with her sculptures exploring humanity’s relationship with nature. Using recycled materials like reclaimed ceramics, antique teacups and tiles, these sculptures spark conversation about sustainability and the future of our planet.
Her debut collection of 40 pieces called ‘Reflections of Resilience’ was presented to the United Nations. As you do.
Her latest body of work is as powerful. Especially given the volatile, vulnerable period the world finds itself in now. Peace needs cultivators and art can wake us up. It reaches people on a different level of understanding. That’s exactly where the newest collection takes us.
‘The Full Metal Jacket’ is Natania’s response to the growing conflicts and tensions around the world. The sculptures are made with spent bullet casings once designed to harm, now transformed into symbols of hope, as well as anchors for contemplation.
“My bullet sculptures were born from a simple but powerful intention: to transform objects made for harm into symbols that invite reflection, dialogue, and healing. Turning weapons of war into conversations. Turning fragments of violence into monuments of peace.” she shares.
These sculptures are currently on display at the United Nations offices in South Africa.
Botha has received many accolades and awards, but she has always been clear that recognition isn’t the point. The message behind her work is. And if a WOW Award helps that message stretch further, it’s a wonderful thing.
“I’m deeply grateful to the Wow 50 Women Awards for this incredible recognition. This moment isn’t just for me, it’s for every single artist out there pushing boundaries, creating boldly, and refusing to stop even when resources are limited. Your resilience and imagination are what keep art alive and urgent.” she shared. “To see this work resonate in our time means more than I can put into words. It reminds me that art still has the power to question, to provoke, and to imagine a different future.”
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