ART UNLOCKED

30+ ARTISTS | 5 STUDIOS | 8 GROUP EXHIBITIONS

@ArtUnlockedRiebeekValley

South Africa, Riebeek Valley, 19 August 2021; During Heritage Day weekend of 24, 25 & 26 September, a group of thirty plus full time and part time artists will be opening their studios, homes and shared spaces in the Riebeek Valley to showcase their work to art lovers and general public.

In light of the current worldwide situation, art events hosted in the valley have not been possible and therefore this group of artists organized this event independently and named it Art UNLOCKED. Their aim is to keep the Arts Town Riebeek Valley top of mind, as the annual ‘Solo Studios’ art event will not be taking place in 2021, and bring in revenue for the artists and local businesses.

The beauty of the Riebeek Valley throughout the years has attracted a number of people expressing themselves on mediums such as paintings, photography, ceramics, music, etc. making the Riebeek Valley an “arts town”.

Not only the artists appreciate the Riebeek Valley, not more than an hour’s drive from Cape Town. This time of year the green wheat fields contrast against the vineyards giving the valley a lush green glow. There are plenty of eateries and restaurants with outdoor seating for people to enjoy their visit while they feast their eyes on the available art.

Artists participating in the event are (in alphabetical order):

Ade Kipades, Alexandra Christokat, Amy Moses, Andries Dirk, Garth Meyer, Gordon Williams, Greta McMahon, Helen Weber, Ianthe Arthur, Ivan Kirstein by Maria, Jill GordonTurner, Kevan Moses, Li Nepgen, Lizette Visser, Mary Walker, Matthew Satchwell, Robin Mann, Rudolph Willemse, Sander Mahieu, Sharon Bischoff, Shui-Lyn White, Solly Smook, Suzanne Melling, Tanya Majo, The Arteri Collective, Verné Jordaan, Wiehan De Jager, William Walker, Gallery 7 on Plein. An added plus will be that there will be a map app. Visitors can just zap the QR code, go to the Art UNLOCKED map and pick the next artist or group exhibition, information on their choice will appear and the map will show them the way.

In addition to the art exhibitions, the valley’s own musicians will be holding a benefit concert for Paddavlei on Saturday 25th at RATA, The Royal Hotel, Riebeek Kasteel. Many new houses were damaged after a big storm this year and proceeds of the concert will go towards building materials for housing in Paddavlei, Riebeek Kasteel. Tickets are available for R200. For bookings call 082 851 1262 or send an email to royalartstownamphitheater@gmail.com

The shared venues are kindly sponsored by The Royal Hotel, Aardvark Eats and Kasteel Motors in collaboration with Arts Town Riebeek Valley.

For accommodation packages contact Riebeek Valley Tours and Transfers on www.riebeekvalleytours.co.za.

Riebeek Valley Tourism and Rooms in Riebeek also offer accommodation on www.riebeekvalley. info and www.roomsinriebeek.co.za

There is no entry fee for the exhibitions but COVID protocols will be in place.

For more information regarding this event please contact Helen Weber on h.m.weber@ gmail.com or 072 0733 972 alternatively visit our Facebook page for updates and details @ArtUnlockedRiebeekValley

Artworks Top Left: Gordon Williams, Riebeeksrivier Pad, 2021, oil on Belgian linen, 23x31cm. Top Right: Kevan Moses, Everything but the kitchen sink, 75cmx10cm, oil on canvas, 2021. Centre Left: Tanya Majo, Incubation, 28x21cm, 2021, anologue collage, magazine paper. Centre Right: Sharon Bischoff, Simeon, 2020, Acrylic and Mixed Media on Fabriano Board, 46x61cm. Bottom Left: (Detail) Tanya Majo, Karoo, 2021, 40x183cm, analogue collage, magazine paper. Bottom Right: Ivan Kirstein, Iqhayiya, 1m x 1m, pastel.

PFUNZO SIDOGI

The importance of art competitions such as Sasol New Signatures, building the careers of young artists and his expectations for 2021…

sasolsignatures.co.za

Back in 2019, Pfunzo Sidogi was appointed the new National Chairperson for Sasol New Signatures at the Winners’ Announcement event hosted at the Pretoria Art Museum. With the competition having been cancelled in 2020, he was unable to take over the reins until now. We are delighted to officially welcome him on board.

In an interview with Sidogi, we asked him about the importance of art competitions such as Sasol New Signatures, building the careers of young artists and his expectations for 2021…

Why do you think that competitions like Sasol New Signatures are important in building the creative economy/

developing and identifying local talent? Art competitions like the Sasol New Signatures are critical enablers for not only incentivising emerging artists, but also for giving these artists access to the mainstream art market. Based on past experiences, we have seen how artists who participate in this competition go on to exhibit and promote their artworks at other prominent industry showcases like local, and at times international, art fairs and mega-exhibitions/biennales.

How important is sponsorship of the visual

arts? Sponsorship of the visual arts is sadly rare, and more worrisome, on the decline. I am therefore extremely excited about the resumption of the Sasol New Signatures in 2021. The commitment shown by Sasol in continuing to sponsor this important art competition is praiseworthy. Sasol, like many individuals and businesses in South Africa, went through challenging storms due to Covid-19. It is therefore a testament to the company’s own resilience and ability to innovate that the competition is going ahead in 2021. We adopted the notion of innovation for this year’s competition to show how even under the most difficult situations, people continue to create and innovate for a better world, which is a core value for Sasol.

Having had a break for a year – what impact do you think this will have on the competition – more entries/ less awareness/ diversity of ages/

participants? The one year hiatus of the competition was unfortunate but sadly unavoidable. Its absence underscored the value of the competition as a platform and space for emerging artists to advance their creativity. So, I expect that there will be a positive turnout in terms of entries. I also expect that the quality of work submitted will be of an extremely high standard.

The art of innovation is the theme for 2021 – what does innovation mean to you and how important is this to the visual

arts? Innovation is at the heart of what artists do. Through their art, artists create new possibilities and reshape the world as we know it. The Covid-19 outbreak has highlighted the significance of innovation, not just in the medical and scientific domain, but in all spheres of life, including the arts.

What are you hoping this theme is going to evoke in the entrants/artists submitting

work? Firstly, I must stress that the use of the word ‘innovation’ within the communication and marketing campaign of the competition is NOT a call for artists to make artworks about or related to innovation. The Sasol New Signatures has embraced the notion of innovation as a celebration of the amazing creative feats artists achieve, especially under moments of great duress, such as we have experienced recently. Therefore, we are hoping to see artworks that will continue to inspire, heal, and transform our society.

What role do you think the pandemic is going to play in the themes portrayed this year and what type of work/creativity are

you hoping to see in 2021? Obviously, we expect that artists will produce artworks that respond to the unprecedented times we are living through. However, one can never predict what kind of self-expression and creativity will emerge from the artists. I expect to be amazed and challenged by the diverse artistic harvest that will emerge from around the country.

Any words of encouragement to everyone

involved? Thank you to Sasol for the generous sponsorship and logistical support from Stuttaford Van Lines as well as the Association of Arts Pretoria responsible for organising the competition and the Pretoria Art Museum for hosting the exhibition in November.