The role and value of art in society

Date

30 July, 2013

"Artists often challenge commonly held perspectives with innovative thinking. We aim to raise awareness about social issues; art pushes controversial buttons and inspires creative ideas. As an artist, I look to explore overlooked issues to encourage debate." These are the words of Ingrid Bolton, winner of the 2012 Sasol New Signatures art competition.

The Sasol New Signatures art competition celebrates the immense talent that exists in the country, while providing a reputable platform for artists to showcase their work and build their profile in the industry.

Last year, the 49-year-old emerging artist, captivated the judging panel and walked away with the coveted title, a R60 000 cash prize and the opportunity to host a solo exhibition.

“The Sasol New Signatures art competition demonstrates the value that the corporate sector can play in the development of South African artists and the role that these initiatives play in taking the arts to broader society. The competition gave me confidence as an artist, directly through funding, but also indirectly through the support component and enormous recognition that I have received over past year,” continued Bolton.

As part of her prize, she will host a solo exhibition titled, Connect Disconnect.

She explained her work, “We connect via phones and the Internet to access individuals, companies and organisations. We communicate from extreme ends of the globe, instantly. All these connections are made possible because of the conductive ability of copper, which we rely on for transmission.”

“My work explores how the global demand for copper has micro and macro- implications in South Africa for individuals and the greater global community. The network of connectivity is a web of cables laid above and below us, easily accessible and stolen. With the growing demand for copper, increased price interruptions are happening more frequently due to cable theft. Commuters are stranded, electricity is cut and connections are severed. In this exhibition copper is deconstructed, broken down into individual strands and then reconstructed in various ways.”

Bolton will be exhibiting at the Sasol New Signatures art competition exhibition, which takes place at the Pretoria Art Museum and is open to the public from 29 August until 13 October 2013. Her work will then form part of the Sasol collection at the Sasol Art Museum in Stellenbosch along with thousands of pieces by some of South Africa's most reputed artists.

For more information, visit www.sasolsignatures.co.za or contact Nandi Hilliard at the Association of Arts Pretoria on 012 346 3100/083 288 5117 or email artspta@mweb.co.za.