Amogelang Maledu to Curate MTN x UJ New Contemporaries Award

The MTN SA Foundation, in collaboration with the UJ Art Gallery, has officially named Amogelang Maledu as the curator for the 2025–2026 MTN x UJ New Contemporaries Award (NCA) programme.

Maledu was selected by the prestigious NCA Legacy Panel and is set to begin her research in March. Her role involves an extensive investigation into emerging South African visual artists working within contemporary genres.

This research will take her across multiple provinces, engaging with artists in studios, galleries, and museums, while also delving into contemporary literature and consulting experts in the field.

From this process, she will nominate four artists to participate in a 2026 exhibition at the UJ Art Gallery, curated under her guidance.

“Amogelang is a very impressive young curator. Not only is she passionate about working with artists, especially those who are often overlooked, but she is also skilled in translating their unique narratives in exciting ways for audiences. We are honoured to be the host for her next exhibition,”

said Dr. Dineke Orton, curator of the UJ Art Gallery.

The selection process for the NCA curator began with an Open Call at the Free State Arts Festival in Bloemfontein on 6 July 2024.

Out of 37 submissions, Maledu was chosen by the NCA Legacy Panel on 25 November 2024. The panel consisted of former MTN New Contemporaries curators, including Dr. Portia Malatjie, Dr. Nontobeko Akoi-Jackson, Khwezi Gule, and Melissa Goba, alongside Dr. Orton.

In line with the MTN Foundation’s commitment to advancing the relationship between arts and technology, Maledu will focus on emerging artists exploring digital and virtual formats.

“I am most excited about the VR possibilities because there is an element of technology that will accompany these exhibitions, that I haven’t really worked in before,”

she shared.

To further increase visibility, the MTN x UJ New Contemporaries Award will have a dedicated space on UJ Art Gallery’s digital platform, Moving Cube, providing broader exposure for both the curator and participating artists.

Additionally, the NCA programme will include a Winter School in July 2025 at the FADA Gallery, aimed at equipping school learners with knowledge and skills in the arts.