Performance artist, curator, arts educator, and University of Johannesburg Arts & Culture 2026 Artist in Residence, Gavin Krastin, has been awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in Bronze by the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
The prestigious honour was conferred on 19 May 2026 by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the National Orders Investiture Ceremony held at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria. Krastin was among 38 South Africans recognised for outstanding contributions to the country.
The Order of Ikhamanga is one of South Africa’s highest national honours, awarded to individuals who have excelled in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism, and sport. For Krastin, whose practice operates in the often marginal and experimental space of live art, the recognition marks both a personal milestone and a significant moment for performance-based practice in South Africa.
Working at the intersection of live art, interdisciplinary performance, and site-responsive practice, Krastin’s career has been shaped by a consistent artistic enquiry into the body as a critical site of meaning-making. Through performances staged in unconventional venues and public spaces, his work interrogates themes of power, identity, and belonging, often inviting audiences into uncomfortable but necessary conversations.
He was recognised for his sustained contribution to live art and performance, particularly his role in expanding experimental and site-responsive practice in South Africa. His work has also been acknowledged for creating platforms for emerging artists and strengthening performance as a space for critical social engagement.
The recognition has also resonated within the University of Johannesburg Arts & Culture community, where Krastin serves within the Artist in Residence Programme. His achievement affirms the University’s commitment to supporting experimental, research-led, and socially engaged artistic practice.
For students, his national honour serves as a powerful example of how live art and performance can achieve recognition at the highest level, reinforcing confidence in their own creative exploration. For academics and practitioners, it further validates ongoing work in building interdisciplinary approaches that connect performance, curation, and pedagogy. For institutional and cultural partners, the award strengthens UJ Arts & Culture’s position as a leading hub for contemporary and boundary-pushing artistic production in South Africa.
Reflecting on the honour, Krastin said:
“I am deeply humbled and still trying to process the weight of this recognition. To be acknowledged for work in live art, performance, curation and arts education feels profoundly meaningful, especially within a field that is often marginal, experimental and difficult to sustain.
I have never worked alone, and this honour belongs as much to the many artists, collaborators, students, producers, technicians, audiences, mentors and friends who have shaped and held me over the years as it does to me.”
Pieter Jacobs, Head of UJ Arts & Culture, said Krastin’s recognition reflects the broader value of performance as a critical cultural practice:
“Gavin Krastin’s recognition with the Order of Ikhamanga in Bronze affirms the vital role that live art and performance play in shaping how we understand ourselves and our society. As part of UJ Arts & Culture’s Artists in Residence Programme, Gavin’s practice resonates deeply with our commitment to fostering critical, innovative and socially engaged artistic research. This honour not only celebrates his individual achievements, but also reflects the collective energies of the communities, collaborators and students who have been part of this journey.”
