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#CrownCollection2023
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Andiswa Bhungane
A mixed media artist who creates opulent pieces inspired by her passion for luxury and attention to detail. Art is an essential part of Andiswa's identity and serves as a form of expression beyond words.
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Beth Diane Armstrong
Primarily a steel sculptress, Armstrong works on both monumental and intimate scales. Her practice pivots around notions of the infinite and perceiving – and expressing – a sense of weight.
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Lara Klawikowski
Lara Klawikowski is a fashion designer based in Cape Town. She launched her eponymous label in 2010 after graduating from CTCFD. She designs artisanal womenswear made from recycled, upcycled and re-fabricated materials.
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Lena Hugo
Lena Hugo is a full-time artist proficient in highly finished, detailed, expressions of people in pastel. She is known for her portraits of manual workers and also explores themes concerning our human condition and fragile nature
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Shelley Mokoena
Shelley Mokoenas’ work embodies an intrinsic and unique approach. Rooted in the intricate beauty & complexities of human existence, informed by nature, identity and philosophies of the African experience.
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Sonja Swanepoel
Sonja Swanepoel is a sculptor and environmental architect who explores our natural world in her art, our reconnection to nature and the interconnectedness of all things.
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#CrownBursaryFund
Click here to donateThis year's funds raised will be going towards the #CrownBursaryFund. This bursary will empower females creatives to further their education.
We welcome South Africans to come and be inspired by the power of the arts, the power of collective collaboration and most importantly, the power of you!
#BuyArt #SouthAfricanArtists #artthatinspires #MakeADifference #FemaleCreatives #WegotThePower #GiveHerACrown
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Andiswa Bhungane
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Artwork rationale
My piece is a combination of resin, plaster, acrylic paint and ink. The piece is inspired by the female form. The piece alternates from dark to light which represents the transformation from negativity to positivity. In art, dark colours are often associated with negative emotions, sadness, fear and in this piece – abuse. Conversely, light colours are associated with positive emotions such as hope, peace and overcoming. The colours diffuse around the female form, which symbolises female empowerment.Overall, the dark to light symbol in this piece is a powerful way to represent the universal experience of overcoming negativity through female empowerment. -
Beth Diane Armstrong
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Artwork rationale:
In ‘Halo’ there is a circular, shiny, polished, flat plane of dot-dash patterning, constructed out of the dense mass of interconnecting rods behind it. The plane sits tilted at an angle so that the viewer can peer into it and reflect.A halo embodies purity, as do all women in their shining glory put behind that, inside that, is a depth and complexity of stories – often untold – that make up the substance of who she is that keep her standing, hold her up. Her structure is in her experiences and stories. She shines because she is complex and strong.The circle, a universal and sacred symbol, and all curving patterns are the symbols of the feminine, mother earth, and female power. Being infinite, having no beginning nor end, the circle is said to be the most creative form and embodies compassion and manifestation. It represents a goddess, as well as being complete, whole, perfect, unified, divine, protecting, and containing.‘Halo’ offers women space to reflect on their strength and purity and to celebrate their divine femininity. It encourages viewers to look beyond the surface and appreciate the complexity and depth of women’s experiences and stories, which contribute to their strength and resilience. -
Lara Klawikowski
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Artwork rationale:
My design is inspired by the African daisy and how it curls its petals in times of drought to form funnels that capture rainwater more effectively. This adaptability and act of resilience and survival in times of hardship transforms the delicate daisy into a unique structure, making the flower perhaps even more beautiful and fascinating than before. In the same way, I am inspired by the resilience of women and the unique and empowered beauty that emerges when a woman realises her own strength.The design is a dress constructed of curled panels / petals made from recycled materials: re-fabricated matte charcoal spunbond and upcycled maroon cotton, attached to a central shield-like bust piece made from re-fabricated cotton fabric waste to mimic the crown of a daisy. -
Lena Hugo
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Artwork rationale:
In Ovid’s epic poem Metamorphosis, Daphne, the mythological water nymph of Arcadia, becomes a universal symbol of imperial power through victory. But not her own. Her transformation into a laurel tree to escape Apollo, causes her to lose her sense of self and her autonomy. The name “Daphne” is never mentioned in the poem again.From a modern feminine perspective, I experience this tale as tragic, telling of masculinity conquering femininity and the strong subjugating the weak. I felt the need to overturn the myth and decided to depict Daphne as a living woman, wearing instead of the traditional laurel wreath, her own wreath made from an abundance of iris flowers, as a strong feminine metaphor. Iris flowers are associated with the goddess Iris in Greek mythology and were planted on the graves of women as an aid to guide them safely to heaven. They were also often used as a design motive during the Art Nouveau period – an age during which women started making noise and reactionary depictions of woman as femme fatale abounded.Daphne’s new wreath signifies intrinsic strength, survival and new life. My Daphne is the author of her own life story. -
Shelley Mokoena
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Artwork rationale:
The enigmatic allure of the serpent, a symbolism of transformation, wisdom and mother earth. The sinuous lines transcend epochs that delve into the profound narratives of women embracing their divine dualities that shed a matrix of ideals into a deconstructed truth. The sacred ophidian, embodies a duality coiled within their bodies that is both fearsome and revered, the paradoxical relationship of beauty, danger and deception. This duality is an emphasis of the veneration of the power of women in our society and the condemnation of the dangerous national plague of GBV.A juxtaposition of light and dark, creation and destruction - evoking both fear and reverence in the intricate patterns and mesmerising shapes that mirror the force of life itself, and the multifaceted nature of women.The garment echoes the intricate process of transformation, renewal and strength with every thread. A divine investigation of the formidable prowess and mesmerising grace that blossoms in captivating darkness and poetic melancholy. -
Sonja Swanepoel
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Artwork rationale:
My bird forms are messengers that reveal a specific truth. The delicate, shell-like quality of Avis fragilis shows that something so fragile can also be powerful. Birds’ lightness and strength make them one of the most inspiring forms to sculpt.These are all trademarks that can easily be given to women. Women may appear fragile and are sometimes still seen as the weaker sex. Still, we can be far more innovative and influential if we believe in ourselves and are given equal opportunities in life. We can rise to independence and influence if given access to education and opportunities. -
How you can support
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