Jana Branca

Jana Branca

Presented by Art By The River Gallery, Jana Branca is a South African-born New Zealand artist based in Taranaki, known for expressive oil portraiture exploring identity and the human condition. Her distinctive approach leaves areas of the canvas deliberately unresolved, revealing brushwork and process while reflecting how experience continually shapes us. Jana holds a BA in Fine Art from the University of Pretoria. She has been a three-time finalist in the Adam Portraiture Awards and twice won the Tasman National Art Awards People’s Choice Award, before receiving its Supreme Award in 2022. Her work invites viewers to encounter her subjects as individuals while recognising something of our shared humanity.