Seventeen-year-old Kenah Seba's artwork Assessing the Damages.
At a time when arts education remains under-resourced in many South African schools, the next generation of creative voices is finding a powerful platform to express themselves. Among the standout talents this year is 17-year-old Kenah Seba from the Western Cape, who recently captured third place in the national Junior Portrait Awards. Hosted by the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, the awards celebrate young artists aged 16 to 18, providing a vital space for emerging creatives to showcase their work and engage with themes of identity, storytelling, and social commentary. First place was awarded to 18-year-old Weliswa Mdluli from Mpumalanga for her work Make Me Pretty. Second place went to 18-year-old Allegra du Randt from KwaZulu-Natal for If He Could.
Seba’s award-winning entry, a mixed-media piece titled Assessing the Damages, offers a striking exploration of animal testing. By layering oil paint with textured materials, Seba confronts viewers with the human impact on lab animals, capturing a raw sense of discomfort and introspection. "Being recognised in the Junior Portrait Awards at this stage in my life means a great deal to me, especially as I begin thinking about my future and pursuing art as a career," says Seba.
