Sasol New Signatures art competition solo exhibition

The Sasol New Signatures art competition is a project of the Association of Arts Pretoria. Sponsored by Sasol for the past 25 years, the competition serves as a springboard for artists to launch their careers. "Personally, it has given me an immense boost as a practicing artist. It also promotes dialogue amongst artists who are entering the scene which is extremely important," said Vermeulen.

Death of the trespaser

The competition has six entry submission venues across the country and also gives artists a valuable learning experience through its national information sessions, which aim to encourage quality entries.

As part of her prize as the winner of last year's competition, Vermeulen, will host a solo exhibition entitled Posting Presence at the 2014 Sasol New Signatures art competition exhibition.

Going for a walk

In developing the concept for her exhibition, Vermeulen identified various public spaces that one would not ordinarily take note of, and explored the interaction and tensions between these spaces and bodies.

Eyestone

"Thematically, I have gone for a walk - literally. The exhibition will tell the story of how people deposit spatially and physically in public spaces. This will again be displayed using traditional painting and digital mediums," explained Vermeulen.

"In my piece entered last year I explored the correspondence between traditional and digital mediums. This year the exhibition will again be a discovery of how these two mediums interact on an artistic level."

Hailing from Bloemfontein, Vermeulen holds a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts and an Honours Degree in Visual Culture Studies. She is currently a junior lecturer at the Fine Arts Department of the University of the Free State, completing her Masters in Fine Arts.

Posting Presence will be on show at the Sasol New Signatures art competition exhibition, which takes place at the Pretoria Art Museum and is open to the public from 4 September until 19 October, 2014. Following the exhibition, the work will 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, go to www.sasolsignatures.co.za or contact Nandi Hilliard from the Association of Arts Pretoria on +27 (0)12 346 3100, +27 (0)83 288 5117 or az.oc.bewm@atpstra.