A real feather in her Kapp

Pretoria Art Museum is alive again with fresh, contemporary art from budding artists at Sasol New Signatures.

This year it was 22-year-old Stellenbosch-based artist Jessica Kapp who took the top spot. Kapp won the coveted award for her earth columns and embedded object installation titled Mapping Time.

Her work was lauded for its multi-sensory experiences of home through the use of retrieved objects and materials. As the winner, she walked away with R100 000 and the opportunity to have a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum in 2019 – the 30th anniversary of Sasol being involved with the competition.

Sasol New Signatures Chairinfo person Prof Pieter Binsbergen thinks it’s the ability of Mapping Time to navigate issues like land and colonial struggles that made it such an engaging piece.

Coming in second place was Cape Town artist Peter Campbell for his work in pencil, titled Kaisen, which means, “change for better” in Japanese.

The other five merit winners are Kelly Crouse and Debbie Fan from Port Elizabeth, Pierre Le Riche from Cape Town, Mulatedzi Moshapo from Polokwane and Megan Serfontein from Stellenbosch.

Merit winner Pierre le Riche

• Lebohang Kganye, winner in 2017, will hold her first solo exhibition, titled Mohlokomedi wa Tora (Lighthouse Keeper), that will run in conjunction with the 2018 Sasol New Signatures exhibition from today to October 7 at the Pretoria Art Museum.
• The exhibition will also feature the 2018 winner, runner-up and five merit award winners, as well as 87 finalists, all of whom are included in the competition catalogue.

Seven questions with the seven winners

Jessica Kapp
What impact did winning this competition have on you?

The fact that I have been considered for such a prestigious award is amazing. The possibility of creating a body of work for my own solo exhibition is something I could never have imagined for myself.

Peter Campbell
What excites you about the creative process?

The phenomenon of emergence as well as the joy of seeing thoughts manifest into something tangible. I find that thinking in objects is a fascinating way of exploring thought.

Merit winner Megan Serfontein

Debbie Fan
What is your preferred medium?

Acrylic and watercolour paint, because there is so much potential in terms of colour usage and control.

Kelly Crouse
Which local artists do you admire?

Jane Alexander for her technical approach on three dimensional artworks and how she can capture the faces that appear to have such raw emotion. The same can be said for Anton van Wouw. His incredible ability to create so much detail with such a small sculpture is truly incredible and inspiring.

Megan Serfontein
Describe your artistic journey up until the point of entering Sasol

New Signatures. My biggest challenge was finding my voice! It took me three of my four years of study to get to the point of finally tackling and embracing digital art.

Merit winner Mulatedzi Moshapo

Mulatedzi Moshapo
Where does your passion for art come from?

I am definitely influenced by the political instability happening across my mother continent, Africa, where people are being forced to move to nearby countries. Also, I have a particular sympathy with asylum seekers, such as the Zimbabwean diaspora in South Africa.

Pierre Le Riche
What is next for you as an artist?

I am currently grappling with the idea of enrolling for a PhD in Fine Art.