Simnikiwe Buhlungu has been named the 2026 winner of the MTN x UJ New Contemporaries Award, receiving a R100,000 prize and national recognition for work that invites audiences to listen, reflect and experience art in new ways.
Makhanda, South Africa (29 June 2026) – South Africa’s creative community has another reason to celebrate after Johannesburg-born artist Simnikiwe Buhlungu was named the 2026 winner of the MTN x UJ New Contemporaries Award, earning one of the country’s most respected emerging contemporary art honours and a R100,000 cash prize.
The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the exhibition “Holding sp(l)ace for the in__between” at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda on the 26th of June. Presented by the UJ Art Gallery in partnership with the MTN SA Foundation and supported by Iziko Museums South Africa, the exhibition showcases four remarkable contemporary artists whose work explores identity, memory, place and the spaces that exist between them.
For Buhlungu, whose career has steadily gained international recognition, the award marks another exciting chapter. Born in Johannesburg and now based in Amsterdam, her multidisciplinary practice moves between sound, text, installation and publishing, asking thoughtful questions about who creates knowledge, how it travels and how we experience history through listening, memory and shared experience. The award-winning installation presented at this year’s exhibition draws on gospel traditions and diasporic memory, inviting audiences to engage with histories of Black mobility and collective listening. Rather than offering simple answers, the work encourages visitors to experience art through curiosity, reflection and participation.
Independent adjudicator Rucera Seethal described the installation as “impactful on entering”, adding that “it holds space definitively for layered engagement.”
Fellow adjudicator Shalom Mushwana praised the work’s ability to balance complexity with accessibility.
“Simnikiwe distils ideas in ways that exist on the edge of accessibility, whilst inviting the viewer to participate in the act of listening, climbing and viewing from a variety of perspectives,” Mushwana said.
UJ Art Gallery Curator Dr Dineke Orton congratulated all four artists whose work forms part of this year’s exhibition, while celebrating Buhlungu’s achievement.
“A huge congratulations to all the artists who participated in this year’s MTN x UJ New Contemporaries Award, and a special acknowledgement to our deserving winner for 2026, Simnikiwe. This recognition is thoroughly well earned, and we eagerly anticipate watching her continue to build on an already compelling career with the same fearlessness and creative conviction that distinguishes her work in this exhibition,” said Orton.
Accepting the award, Buhlungu shared a moving message of gratitude.
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The exhibition, curated by Amogelang Maledu, also features the work of Zara Julius, Thato Makatu and Unathi Mkonto. Together, the artists explore contemporary questions around sound, land, home, breath and belonging, creating conversations that reflect both personal experience and broader social realities.
Orton also praised Maledu’s vision in bringing the exhibition together.
“We have been immensely privileged to work with Maledu as the MTN x UJ New Contemporaries Curator, who brought together these remarkable artistic voices with exceptional vision and care. Maledu ensured that each artist’s unique perspective and intention was not only preserved but presented in a striking, cohesive manner.”
“Holding sp(l)ace for the in__between” is on exhibition at the Gallery in the Round and New Gallery in the Monument Building during the National Arts Festival in Makhanda until the 5th of July 2026, offering festival-goers the chance to experience the work of four artists helping shape the future of South African contemporary art.
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