Art Blog

Traditional media wins 2019 Sasol New Signatures Art Competition

Works in oil paint and ink were awarded winner and runner-up at this year's edition of the Sasol New Signatures Art Competition. Pretoria student, Patrick Rulore walked away with the R100 000 cash prize and the opportunity to have a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum in 2020.

Rulore's work titled Stage 4 moments captures a typical scene within many South African households during electricity cuts. He explores the paradox of the unwelcome phenomenon of load shedding and how it forces person to person conversation and interaction. Stage 4 moments is a sensitive celebration of the rare and transient moments of sincere human connection that occur during those brief hours of darkness.

The runner-up of 2019 is Durban Master's student Luyanda Zindela, with a pen, ink and graphite work titled Phowthah sis' Mgabadeli. Using the readily available materials of pen and pine board, Zindela's portrait captures the boundless intricacies of human skin by meticulously crosshatching and stippling the various layers of tissues and cells. As runner-up, he walks away with R25 000.

The 5 Merit Award winners are Nico Athene, Angelique Patricia Mary Bougaard, Cecilia Maartens-Van Vuuren, Kgodisho Moloto and Mlamuli Eric Zulu. Each merit award winner receives a R10 000 cash prize.

The Sasol New Signatures exhibition runs from 22 August - 29 September 2019 at the Pretoria Art Museum.