The New Breed Art Competition 2021 has been officially launched during a virtual launch attended by a number of artists and media via Zoom.
The visual arts competition is presented by Phatshoane Henney Attorneys in association with Oliewenhuis Art Museum. The Free State Art Collective has now also come on board as an official competition partner, allowing for even greater exposure and benefit to entrants to the competition. The competition is aimed at new and emerging Free State-based artists 18 years and older.
In addition, an exciting medium is now also allowed to be entered, namely digital/video art, which is sure to introduce a variety of exciting, new entrants to the competition. As always, in addition to digital/video art, a diversity of mediums are encouraged for entry such as photography, sculpture, textiles, paintings, drawings, and even graphic art. All entries are subject to strict terms, conditions and rules of participation, which can all be found in the entry form.
Importantly, all entered works must have been completed between 1 January 2020 and 13 September 2021, and older works will be disqualified.
"We find ourselves in a historic time in our lives, and art is the ideal medium for commentary and communication to allow the viewer to engage with the wide variety of historic events that dominated the past year. These events set forth unique experiences, changes and consequences – and we encourage all entrants this year to take the opportunity to reflect on this in their works," said Magdel Louw, Competition Coordinator.
"Consider where we have been, where we are now or where we are going, or what we all – or you yourself – have went through. There is such a multitude of aspects to reflect on: be it trauma or growth, perhaps enlightenment or enrichment, or even looking at the insights or advances that has resulted from this past historic year. Precisely for this reason we encourage fresh, new art and a new way of looking at things and also portraying this through your art."
Entries take place from 13 to 19 September 2021 at Oliewenhuis Art Musuem, with the artists selected for the Competition Exhibition at Oliewenhuis Art Museum to be notified by 29 September. The Competition Exhibition will stretch from 5 October to 14 November. The final winners are to be announced on 4 November 2021.
Entry forms are available here on the official competition website, as well as at Oliewenhuis Art Museum and Phatshoane Henney Attorneys' reception at 35 Markgraaff Street, Westdene.
To view a recording of the virtual launch, click here.