SA Book Fair: an artsy one for the young 'uns

Explore! Awesome South African Artists will be launched on September 7 at the South African Book Fair 2019 and will be available at the Exclusive Books stand.

Often neglected in school curriculums, art and art education is extremely valuable when it comes to developing creative problem-solving skills in learners and helping them connect with their own culture and the wider world.

Based on these and the many other benefits of art education, Kalideck Antalis and Jacana Media have collaborated on a project to introduce young minds to the world of contemporary South African art.

Authored by Dr Cobi Labuscagne, Explore! Awesome South African Artists is a literary treat for children. South Africa’s finest living contemporary artists like Lady Skollie, William Kentridge, Nandipha Mntambo, Athi-Patra Ruga, Penny Siopis, Banele Khoza, Zander Blom and more grace the pages of this mesmerising children’s book.

Children can jump into the flourishing local art scene, see it in bold colour and learn about the diverse journeys of the artists and curators featured alongside their fascinating works. For the curious child, the book lays a perfect foundation for discussing the social issues of the day against the backdrop of popular art and inspiring stories.

Explore! Awesome South African Artists will keep nine to 15-year-olds entertained and engaged for hours, with the aim of helping them find their own South African art heroes to look up to.

For lovers of Splat! The Most Exciting Artists of All Time and Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, this book will be a welcome addition to the shelf.

About the author

Dr Cobi Labuscagne lives in Johannesburg with her husband, Nduka and their two children, Lunga and Ellen. Over the past ten years she has been working with art and seeing South African artists rise to fame on the world stage. She was part of the team who created the first art fair in Africa, the FNB Joburg Art Fair, where she was a director for many years. Labuscagne also works as an academic and holds a doctorate and two masters' degrees. In her spare time she likes to watch live music with her family, garden, knit, throw balls with Lunga and paint watercolours with Ellen.

About the illustrator

Lauren Mulligan is a storyteller. Her curiosity leads her to things you don’t often see on television or learn about in school. The stories she collects take on different forms, like drawings, photographs and short films. Mulligan was named one of South Africa’s 20 emerging black women photographers by Between 10&5 and completed a master’s degree in film & television at Wits University in 2018. She lives in Johannesburg, but her imagination travels far and wide.

• Explore! Awesome South African Artists is published by Jacana Media