Art Blog

Exploring our shared South African identity and experience at Sasol New Signatures 2023

This year's edition of the 2023 Sasol New Signatures Art Competition continues its tradition of challenging the current status quo, crossing boundaries, and offering viewers something to talk about.

The exhibition of the top 100 works explore various themes from poverty, education, love, religion, rape, climate change, displacement in a diverse range of mediums, some reimagining the use of traditional materials.

"Every person has a story that needs to be told and I am particularly proud that this competition provides a space for all creative voices to be heard and seen," said Pfunzo Sidogi, Chairperson of the Sasol New Signatures Competition.

The 2023 winner was announced as Nosiviwe Matikinca (22), a third year student from Gqeberha, who walks away with a cash prize of R100 000 and an opportunity to have a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum in 2024.

Matikinca's work titled Ndiziphiwe - They were given to me features a slip-cast ceramic installation of worn school shoes. The shoes emphasise each mark, scratch and hole echoing the experience of black South African learners and the issue of sub-standard education in South Africa.

Themba Mkhangeli from Cape Town (28) was crowned runner-up and awarded R25 000 for his detailed and intricate work entitled Amawele. The portrait of twin sisters, who reside in the artist's neighbourhood, pays homage to their beauty and innocence, embodied through the unerasable process of ink pen drawing.

The 5 Merit Award winners are Matthew David Blackburn, Michelle Czarnecki, Ofentse Letebele (King Debs), Thabo Treasure Mofokeng, and Taryn Emily Noppe. Each Merit Award winner received a R10 000 cash prize.

The Sasol New Signatures exhibition featuring the work of the 2023 winners and finalists, takes place at the Pretoria Art Museum from 7 September until 29 October 2023. All the finalists are included in the competition catalogue available online. The exhibition can also be viewed virtually on the website. All works are available for sale.

For more information, visit www.sasolsignatures.co.za.