Asanda Kupa
Residing in Johannesburg and affiliated with the Bag Factory, Asanda Kupa finds solace in recurrent visits to his Eastern Cape childhood home. These journeys anchor him to his rural roots, fostering a connection to an often overlooked facet of the nation. He holds a National Diploma in Fine Art from Walter Sisulu University and a BTech degree from Tshwane University of Technology. Between 2009 and 2011, he resurrected the Molteno Museum, revitalizing artistic legacies.
As the distinguished recipient of the Ann Bryant Young Artist of the Year Award in 2010 and the Reinhold Cassirer Award in 2013, Kupa’s artistic narrative unfolds in prestigious South African collections, including The Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art and Nando’s. Founded in the heart of the Eastern Cape, a region integral to the beginnings of South Africa’s mineworkers, Kupa’s artistic odyssey delves into the nuanced dynamics of emerging societies. Now associated with M Studio Community, his work serves as a testament to the marginalized voices within ‘The New South Africa,’ enduring the paradox of a great rebirth that has, for some, is yet to be realized
