The 2022 Fak'ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival recognised innovative digital creative talent on the continent, as part of its inaugural awards ceremony.
Now in its ninth year, the festival – a collaborative effort between Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct and the Wits School of Arts – focuses on showcasing and developing skills in technology, art and culture in Africa.
Hosted at the Tshimologong Precinct, the inaugural awards aim to expose the continent’s established artists and newcomers to local and international audiences.
According to the event organisers, awards were handed out in categories such as video gaming, animation, extended reality (VR and AR), digital art and music.
“This year’s award-winners encapsulated the Fak’ugesi ideology, as well as best interpreting the 2022 ‘From Now On’ theme. The awards criteria called for a critical awakening of what digital creativity is for young Africans, and this year’s applicants showed just how far young talent has come,” say the organisers.
Congratulating the winners, Eduardo Cachucho, Fak’ugesi Festival creative director, comments: “Without supporting Africa’s finest talent, how can we expect our creative industries to grow and thrive?
“We wish to congratulate the winners, entrants and participants, and the team who make the festival possible.”
Awards judge, Fak’ugesi’s Dr Tegan Bristow, says over the years, the festival and the African digital creative scene have grown boldly.
This year, it celebrated the beginning of a new era − a convergence of new technologies and African cultures with ‘From Now On’, she adds.
“The inaugural Fak’ugesi Awards are exactly this convergence, bringing us what only Fak’ugesi can – a generous view of criticality, cutting-edge experimentation and bright new talent ready for the picking. Showing us not only what excellence is, but how to critically and creatively build a digital Africa.
“Fak’ugesi allows for not only excellence in digital creativity, but more importantly, a critical awakening of what digital creativity is for young Africans.”
The Fak’ugesi Festival 2022 ‘From Now On’ award winners are:
Animation
Winner: Super Dad by Magic Carpet Studios (Nigeria)
Rising star: Kua by The Animation School (SA)
Digital art
Graphic digital art winner: UMTHWALO − Own your crown by Von Mash (SA)
Conceptual digital art winner: Dintho by m'lk (SA)
Music
Cross-sector score winner: Halima’s Vote (original motion picture soundtrack) by Rodney Abia (Nigeria)
Cross-sector sound art winner: Ghana Airways by Hakeem Adam (Ghana)
XR
VR winner: The Subterranean Imprint Archive by Lo-Def Film Factory (SA)
AR winner: Re/Member Your Descendants by Xabiso Vili and Sonwabo Valashiya (SA)
Video gaming
Winner: Finke Desert Race Game by Arkitech Consultancy (Kenya)
Rising star: Doba Dasha by SpaceSalad Studios (SA)
Share