Thu Mar 26 13:56:37 UTC 2009
A new direction for the Strokes of Genius art project, offering emerging artists the opportunity to showcase their works on a global platform, will see emerging craft workers now also getting exposure on the World Wide Web. The Shoprite Checkers Strokes of Genius project - a project for the development of fine arts and crafts from Africa, presented in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture and the Department of Trade and Industry, provides artists and craft workers with the opportunity to gain recognition for their talent by exposing their work to local and international buyers through the visual online gallery.
The expanded Strokes of Genius project will be introduced to the Cape art circle during a fine arts and crafts exhibition at Willowbridge Mall, Bellville on 2 April 2009. Items at the exhibition will include a selection of crafts from crafting community projects in the Western Cape, some of the best paintings from the Strokes of Genius online gallery, as well works by famed artists such as Marjorie Wallace, Vader Claerhout, James Yates, Gregoire Boonzaier, Amos Langdowne and Siko. The exhibition will be open to the public during normal trading hours on 3 and 4 April 2009 (Fr: 9h00-19h00; Sa: 9h00-17h00) and items on display will be up for sale to those who wish to invest wisely in fine arts.
Strokes of Genius was conceived in 2007 to realize the potential inherent to the untapped arts and culture economic sector. The project first launched with a focus on the promotion of emerging painters. The best artworks from emerging artists who submitted their paintings online were auctioned off at an auction in November 2008. Fifteen young artists successfully sold their works, with two artworks fetching R30 000 each - the highest closing bid for emerging artists. These were Rainbow Nation, an acrylic portrait by 35-year-old Bloemfontein artists Victor Geduldt; and Angel, an oil portrait by 23-year-old Hermanus artist Wayne Wyngaard. Through the recognition gained from their involvement with Strokes of Genius these two artists have gone on to become successful public artists in their own right, exhibiting their works, on invitation, in well-known South African galleries and art events.
South Africa has a wealth of artistic talent and the Strokes of Genius project recognizes the need to harness this talent from an early age in order to produce more world class artists from our country. As part of its commitment to promote the development of art and culture amongst young people, the Shoprite Checkers Strokes of Genius project will launch an art competition for secondary schools in May 2009. Winners of the competition will receive a contribution towards futhering their art studies, as well as a contribution towards the development of their schools’ art programmes.