Mignon Daubermann wins PPC Imaginarium Awards

Her design, which scooped R150,000 in prize money, won the Jewellery Category Prize and then competed against the other four category winners across the disciplines of film, industrial design, fashion and sculpture (there was no architecture category winner this year).

The Awards challenge its entrants to innovate with cement and use concrete as a medium of expression. Daubermann’s intriguing, conceptually-related rings play on the idea that both concrete and human bones are resilient as well as fundamental for the strength of the entire physical entity – be it a human body or structure.

Her concept, execution and “unique technical use of pigmented concrete and silver” are what impressed the judges. According to this independent jury, including Cathy O’Clery of Platform Creative Agency and fine artists Stephen Hobbs and Wilma Cruise, the rings show a “simplicity and elegance of design that is both refined and conceptual, eye-catching and beautiful.”

This year, R500,000 in prize money went to the overall winner, category winners and runners-up. The company has already committed to this year’s competition, which opens for entry in April 2016.

The PPC Imaginarium Awards are spearheaded by the company’s innovation department and are the brainchild of resident architect and academic Daniel van der Merwe. “We would like to extend our congratulations to Mignon Daubermann for exceeding the expectations of concrete in such a captivating way with these pieces of wearable art. The standard of this year’s entries is exceptional and we need to acknowledge all the finalists and invite the public to come and appreciate their stimulating, exciting work.”

To view the PPC Imaginarium exhibition, visit the UJ Art Gallery until 26 March 2016 or the Pretoria Arts Association from 1-12 April 2016. For more information, go to www.ppcimaginarium.co.za.