After a very thorough and comprehensive consultative process two of South Africa's most highly acclaimed artists were appointed to produce the sculptures for Nobel Square.

Claudette Schreuders

Claudette was born on February 6, 1973 in Tswhane, South Africa. She matriculated from Linden High School in Johannesburg in 1990, graduated BA (FA) from the University of Stellenbosch in 1994 and obtained her M.F.A. degree with distinction from the University of Cape Town in 1997. Claudette creates carved and painted wooden figures that reflect the ambiguities of the search for an 'African' identity in the post-apartheid 21st century. Her figures demonstrate a hybrid canon influenced by the blolo and colon figures of West Africa, as well as other stylistic input from medieval church sculpture, Spanish portraiture and Egyptian woodcarving.

Claudette, based in Cape Town, is producing the sculptures of the four Laureates. She has a Masters Degree in Fine Arts who enjoys international recognition for her work, regularly selling all of the works she exhibits in New York at the Jack Shainman Gallery.

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Noria Mabasa

The sculptor of Peace and Democracy is Noria Mabasa from Limpopo, the north of South Africa. She is a 70-year-old artist that has been declared one of the country's living treasures and recently had a street in Johannesburg named after her.

As a young child, Noria was already breaking gender stereotypes. Born to a family with few sons, her duties included tending the family's animals - a job usually left to the boys.

It is a pattern that seems to repeat itself through her life. Mabasa is one of the foremost artists using the Venda myths and legends in her work. Her works come to her through dreams. She works in wood - a medium traditionally associated in Venda culture with men.

Her twisted wooden figures of The Flood (1994) and Union Buildings (1999) are some of her better-known works. Noria also makes figurative ceramics, some of which were included in the first Johannesburg Biennale in 1994.

Find out a full history of Noria Mabasa's work here.

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The Nobel Square sculptures will be unveiled at a ceremony on 16 December 2005, South Africa's Day of Reconciliation.