Anna Antonia Yiaxi Savvidou
Cyprus

Anna Antonia Yiaxi Savvidou is a visual artist born in Nicosia, Cyprus, in 1996. She is currently a second-year MFA Sculpture/Dimensional Studies candidate at the New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University. As part of her Graduate Assistantship, she has held the position of a teaching assistant for several courses including Intro to Sculpture, Intro to Glass, Junior Glass
Blowing and Junior Glass Casting.

Throughout 2024, Anna has remained an active member of the Alfred community, exhibiting work locally at venues such as the Stull Observatory, Cohen Gallery and the Union University Church.

Anna earned both her Bachelor’s and Integrated Master’s degree in Visual Arts with a focus on Sculpture from the Athens School of Fine Arts in 2020. During her undergraduate studies, she spent the academic year of 2017–2018 at Weissensee Kunsthochschule in Berlin.

Her artistic practice has been showcased in group exhibitions across Europe, including Chew in at NOUCMAS (2019) in Athens,”ΠΕΙΡΑΩ” at KYAN (2021) in Athens, and MASSA at Blikfabriek (2021) in Antwerp, Belgium. Additionally, her work has been exhibited and sold by the gallery Callirrhoë in Athens, Greece (2023).

Francois Stephan Pietersen
Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

Twenty-five-year-old South African artist Francois Pietersen began his artistic journey at a young age, drawn to flowers and organic materials. This fascination led him to use pressed flowers and living plants as his primary medium. His installations—both temporary and permanent—explore a wide range of themes, from his personal childhood experiences to the impact of the South African Border War on contemporary social dynamics. Francois’ work challenges traditional perceptions of gender norms and encourages viewers to reflect on our current social climate. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in art and design at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, where he continues to refine his artistic expression.

Inga Lokwe
Johannesburg, South Africa

I am Inga Lokwe, a professional glass artist and sculptor from South Africa who was born in Johannesburg however. With an Honors qualification in Fine Arts specializing in glass, I am currently pursuing my master’s degree at Tshwane University of Technology. My artistic practice is deeply rooted in my culture, Xhosa heritage, and the transformative journey of self-expression.

My upbringing on a farm in the Eastern Cape instilled in me a profound connection to the natural world, which informs the themes and textures in my work. I am particularly drawn to the fluidity and resilience of glass as a medium, using it to explore intersections of identity, heritage, and personal experience. My pieces often reflect the nuanced realities of being a masculine-presenting woman within the broader cultural and societal contexts of South Africa.

At present, my work is particularly shaped by the grieving process following the loss of my mother,  as I delve into how love, loss, and resilience manifest within my artistic narrative. I strive to create work that bridges the personal and universal, offering reflections on strength, belonging, and the complexity of the human experience. Through my art, I celebrate my roots while navigating the evolving landscapes of identity and selfhood.