Johannesburg, South Africa – It is the things that we cannot see that can have the greatest influence on who we are and the things we appreciate such as art. This is why this year’s Sasol New Signatures art competition is putting the chemistry behind creativity under a microscope by challenging artists to portray the correlation between the two which to some may appear to be poles apart.

“The tagline for this year’s Sasol New Signatures art competition is, ‘the chemistry behind creativity’. We chose this tagline deliberately as it speaks to who we are as Sasol – an international integrated chemicals and energy company that leverages creativity and chemistry to produce products that add value in everyday life,” said Richard Hughes, Group Manager for Sponsorships at Sasol.

Entries for the Sasol New Signatures art competition are now open. Held annually in partnership with the Association of Arts Pretoria, the competition is open to emerging artists who are 18- years-old and older, who have never held a solo exhibition before.

Information sessions have been organised from mid-April at venues around the country to give artists tips and guidance. In order to further solidify the support of visual arts in South Africa, the competition will now also offer feedback sessions at the various selection points countrywide.  The Sasol New Signatures National Chairperson will be available, along with the selectors, after the selection process to discuss why certain entries were accepted and others not. The feedback sessions are intended to grow the artists.

Artists who are up to the challenge to explore the chemistry behind creativity can submit their artworks at one of several collection points around the country on 21 or 22 June 2016.  

Judging will take place in July and the winner of the Sasol New Signatures competition will be announced on 2 September 2016 at an event, after which the winning works will be displayed for a month at the Pretoria Art Museum.  The winner will receive R 100 000 and a solo exhibition at next year’s event, with the runner up winning R25 000 and the five merit award winners each receiving R10 000.   

For more information on Sasol New Signatures, visit  www.sasolnewsignatures.co.za