Q&A with our Chairperson

Traveling across the country, evaluating a huge number of entries is no mean feat. For you, what has been the highlight of the 2017 judging process?

The exceptional calibre of regional selectors that were used in each region. The selectors seemed to gel well together and a uniformity regarding standard and quality echoed as if it had come from one voice. For this I am deeply grateful as it makes the task of the National Chairperson less stressful which in turn projects a stable consolidation of selected entries.

Art competitions attract progressive and innovative submissions. Did you sense that in the the 2017 entries?

Sasol New Signatures entrants seem to be full of vigour and energy. The work is bold, daring and pushes boundaries conceptually which gives rise to various interesting combinations of unconventional materialities.

Materiality was a subject a number of regional judges commented on. What were your impressions?

Most of the finalists' work seems to be harnessing materials which are multisensory by nature thereby attempting to hold the viewer captive for longer periods of time thus driving home the pressing social, political, and environmental issues South Africa is currently grappling with.

If you could encapsulate your feelings about this year's entries what would you say?

The work is serious, focused and demands attention. In this light, the finalists of the 2017 Sasol New Signatures have not only lived up to what was expected from the regional selectors but delivered so much more.

Do you feel the communication around Sasol New Signatures is strong and effective?

Entrants seem to have paid close attention to the information sessions and the conditions of entry that were made public on websites and various social media platforms. This means that the promotional strategy of the competition is well situated in reaching its target market. It is thus clearly evident when seeing the total number of views on the Sasol YouTube channel and various public interaction on Facebook and Twitter.

How would you describe your experience as National Chairperson of Sasol New Signatures?

I wish to commend Sasol and the Sasol New Signatures team on a job well done. This has been a pleasure to work with such a ‘well-oiled creative machine’ that continues to raise standards and showcase spectacular innovative artworks.