RDC Property Group is proud to announce Mellaney Roberts as the recipient of the 2026 RDC Art Collection Award, presented at the 13th edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in February 2026.
The award forms part of RDC’s broader Corporate Social Investment initiatives under the Arts, Culture and Heritage Programmes. Through this pillar, RDC supports African creativity, strengthens cultural engagement and contributes to the continued growth of the creative economy across the regions in which we operate.
The 2026 fair marked its largest edition to date, showcasing 126 exhibitors from 34 global cities and 22 countries, featuring more than 490 artists and welcoming over 34,000 visitors. The scale of participation reinforces the fair’s position as a leading platform for global dialogue and contemporary African art.
The 2026 RDC Art Collection Award was presented to Mellaney Roberts for Echoes in the Reeds 1, exhibited by Berman Contemporary. The award recognises contemporary African artists whose work aligns with RDC’s core values of Integrity, Inclusiveness, Competency, Accountability, Empathy and Entrepreneurship. The winning artwork becomes part of the RDC Art Collection and will be installed within one of RDC’s landmark properties, where it will continue to engage visitors in shared environments.
Echoes in the Reeds 1
Mellaney Roberts is a South African ceramic and sculptural artist whose practice is rooted in ceramics and mixed media sculpture. Her work frequently incorporates materials such as perspex, copper wire, copper tubing and wood, creating tactile and expressive forms that balance fragility and structure.
In Echoes in the Reeds 1, Mellaney Roberts explores themes of memory, identity, landscape and personal history. Her approach to material is both creative and archaeological. She treats clay and related materials as archives of experience, capable of embodying absence, silence and narrative tension. The work reflects on personal and collective histories within a South African context, intertwining intimate stories with broader cultural memory.
Through its layered sculptural construction, the artwork invites viewers to consider belonging, inherited boundaries and transformation across generations. The interplay between delicacy and strength mirrors the human condition, shaped by history yet continually evolving.
The work resonated strongly with RDC’s values. It embodies inclusiveness by giving voice to communities whose histories often exist between definitions. It demonstrates empathy through its engagement with lived experience and belonging. It reflects integrity in its honest exploration of identity and heritage. It encourages accountability by prompting reflection on the histories embedded within the spaces we occupy. Through its conceptual depth and technical execution, it reflects competency and dedication to excellence.
Mellaney Roberts considers the award a collective win, “with the community that I grew up with in up in Bobbejaanskloof and in a sense of identity. So, it’s not just for me, but it’s also about taking it back to my community, showing them the appreciation and the hard work that went into excavating their memories, identity, and what land means to us”.
RDC believes that the spaces we develop are not only places to work, meet and connect. They are environments that carry meaning and shared experience. By integrating works such as Echoes in the Reeds 1 into our properties, we strengthen cultural visibility, support African artists and reinforce our commitment to responsible and inclusive development through our Arts, Culture and Heritage Programmes.
