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Sasol New Signatures Awards

As a kid, I had much respect for the union buildings, later in life as news became apparent I day-dreamt about the 'games' in the lower gardens. Ironically I recently saw an image of the Gupta's rooftop styled a chessboard.

Sasol New Signatures Art Competition – one of South Africa’s oldest and most respected art competitions. In 2017, the competition was in its 28th year of existence and over the years has evolved to being at the forefront of the art scene. Sasol has found gains in the international spotlight within this competition and it has become a very prestigious annual event in the art world. Just prior to Covid, Sasol had encouraged entrants to submit works that are imaginative, transgressive, transcendent, disruptive, boundless and ‘beyond’.

Sasol New Signatures provided artists with a call and gave a theme in the 2017 awards - Art must Rise. The concept was explored in the realm of our political fields. This place seems to fight, retaliate and come to light via the virtual realm of social media where the public then engages.


ARTWORK SYNOPSIS

"The piece is shockingly literal, as it depicts our current state of affairs playing out in broad daylight before our eyes. As a kid, I had much respect for the union buildings, later in life as news became apparent I day-dreamt about the game in the lower gardens. Ironically I recently saw an image of the Gupta's rooftop styled a chessboard. The work comments on the individual, the Ego, greed and the lack of conscious. The repercussions of one hand in the next man's pocket and the ripple effects thereof. Each player onboard has to move with one another.

The lion was utilised as a metaphor of pride. One sees astronomical expansions of townships with hungry people and cowardly animals. The coward dog is a symbol of the individual and the current state of affairs, sitting on what once stood as a proud nation, the lion looks towards the horizon as the coward watches the political games play on.

I wish to create a movement of unity. At any given time between work and play where people of all walks on life, stature, race, culture, traditions and religions come together and work as a team. These moments shared should be captured and spread as an action.
Stand up, #UnitedWeRise"


PUBLICATION

To view the full digital catalogue, you can follow through on below link.

https://www.sasolsignatures.co.za/sites/sasol_signature_live/files/SNS%20catalogue%202017%20v10_DIGITAL_LOW%20RES_0.pdf

Project Gallery

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