After a vigorous selection process, in which our esteemed selection committee cast their votes for the 12 ANNA Award 2023 finalists, the winner is out.

Nada Baraka, an Egyptian artist based in Cairo, is the 2023 ANNA Award recipient.
Nada Baraka makes paintings that maintain an endless, active state of flux, swaying between abstract and surreal with her evocative application and vivid colours. Baraka seeks to generate forms in new contexts as a means to challenge and deconstruct the obvious, and tease meaning out of absurdity.

« This award validated a lot of my own struggles and hard work, and quelled my doubts. My mind can’t grasp that I actually won. » – Nada Baraka

Fluctuations of emotions triggered by various experiences build up to a narrative that eludes interpretation. The core of her work is this process that seeks to narrate an experience through expressionist brushwork and surrealist methodology. A central aspect in those narratives is the concept of eruption, appearing as distorted forms, body parts, colours or layers, all bathed in a fluidity that is punctuated with striking detail.

« As a female who believes in women empowerment and who struggles daily in a country that has one of the highest rates of harassment, it is important to keep pushing and to pursue my practice loudly and proudly. To have a voice that will continue to evolve. This will happen by experimenting more frequently, trying new mediums and exploring new topics as well. »

The 2nd place goes to Alexandra-Naledi Holtman and 3rd place to Cazlynne Peffer.

The 2023 ANNA Audience Award

Every year the public is invited to vote for their favourite finalist. This year the ANNA Audience Award winner is… Buqaqawuli Nobakada.

Buqaqawuli Nobakada’s primary medium is acrylic paint on laced paper, often with the use of custom clay or gold jewellery; wherein much of the passion in her work is expressed as she celebrates border crossings that take place in the imagination, the mind as well as in real life.

About the ANNA Award
The ANNA Award is presented by Latitudes Online and ANNA Pure Organics, South Africa’s first locally manufactured, environmentally friendly and organic menstrual product range. As the winner of the prize, Nada receives R100,000 cash, a profile on Latitudes Online, and a year’s supply of ANNA products.

About ANNA Pure Organic
ANNA, South Africa’s first locally manufactured, environmentally friendly and organic menstrual product range is taking the lead in creating environmentally friendly sanitary products. The ANNA team believes that women who are conscious of their ecological footprint shouldn’t have to compromise comfort in the process of lowering their environmental impact.

By providing environmentally conscious women with a real alternative to traditional plastic sanitary products, ANNA is empowering women to take ownership of, not only their own physical wellbeing, but the wellbeing of the environment, too.

Find ANNA Pure Organic Pads and Liners at the following stockists: Ackermans. Checkers, DisChem, Faithful to Nature, Natural Options, Pick ‘n Pay, and selected Spars.

About Latitudes
Latitudes is an online destination to explore and buy contemporary art from Africa. With a constantly changing, curated selection of art from the continent and the diaspora, the site brings together artworks presented by galleries, curators, studios, not-for-profit organisations and independent artists themselves.

The first platform of this kind dedicated to art from Africa, Latitudes is designed to help collectors discover creativity from the continent in a non-intimidating and accessible way. With over 1600 artists represented on the site, Latitudes is well on its way to becoming the largest online destination for art from Africa.

Passionate as the organisation is about identifying and nurturing new talent, Latitudes introduced an Education programme in 2021, through which it has mentored and directly benefited over 200 creatives in Africa.