Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana’s contemporary art scene is celebrating a landmark achievement after Naledi Maifala claimed the prestigious 2025 ANNA Award, earning international recognition for her intimate, neo-impressionistic works that explore stillness, contentment and the beauty of everyday life.
Motswana artist Naledi Maifala has been named the winner of the 2025 ANNA Award, a prestigious art prize dedicated to discovering and empowering a new generation of women artists across Africa.
The honour follows her standout showing at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2025 where her miniature neo-impressionistic paintings captivated international audiences under ReCurate’s Botswana Focus pavilion.
Founded by Latitudes and ANNA Pure Organic, the ANNA Award offers more than just recognition. Maifala’s prize includes a cash award, a SAFFCA Foundation artist residency, a solo showcase at the 2026 RMB Latitudes Art Fair, and inclusion in the ANNA Award Collection.
Rooted in stillness of the soul
Maifala’s winning body of work was praised by the judges for its quiet power and deep attentiveness to the everyday. Her paintings, which are a gentle rebellion against the pressures to frame her identity in overtly political narratives, celebrate fleeting, intimate moments.
Through domestic animals, garden blooms, and serene human figures, she evokes a sense of spiritual and emotional calm. “This is a significant step forward in my career,” Maifala told Time Out.
“It has encouraged me to think bigger, beyond borders, and I hope it inspires other artists to see their own potential to connect globally.”
From portfolio review to international spotlight
ReCurate’s founder, Renée Eisen-Khonat, recalls first meeting Maifala at the Rising Stars portfolio review in March 2025. “Naledi’s work had both technical beauty and a soulful message,” she said. “We knew immediately she had what it takes to touch people through her art.”
That meeting set in motion a collaboration that has already propelled Maifala beyond Botswana’s borders — and into the global art conversation.
Since beginning her professional journey in 2022, Maifala has participated in exhibitions in Botswana and Nigeria, building a reputation for her paintings that act as meditative spaces.
A vision beyond borders
She nurtures hope and her work will encourage viewers to appreciate life’s simplicity.
As Botswana’s contemporary art scene gains momentum, her ANNA Award stands as both a personal triumph and a beacon for other local artists seeking to make their mark internationally.
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