Enduring Signatures… again | 11 May – 15 July 2026 | Sasol Art Gallery

Celebrating dedication and artistic Inspiration.

By CityLife Arts Writer

Following the successful Enduring Signatures exhibition of 2025, a second edition entitled Enduring Signatures…again has been installed at the Sasol Art Gallery, continuing its celebration of resilience, dedication, and individuality within South Africa’s contemporary art landscape.

The Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts Competition remains one of the most enduring and respected platforms for emerging artists in the country. Each year, hundreds of artists enter with the aspiration of having their work recognised, culminating in the coveted grand prize of R100 000 and a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum. Beyond the possibility of winning, the competition offers invaluable opportunities for artists to present their work publicly, connect with audiences and industry professionals, and strengthen their creative careers. This is the enduring legacy of Sasol New Signatures.

The Sasol Art Gallery, in partnership with the Association of Arts, Pretoria, presents Enduring Signatures… again – an exhibition showcasing a selected group of artists who have consistently participated in the competition over time. Their continued engagement reflects not only a commitment to their practice but also a deep belief in the value of artistic development through persistence, regardless of outcome.

The exhibition title holds a dual significance. Enduring speaks to the perseverance and resilience required to sustain a career in the visual arts – qualities embodied by the participating artists, who continue to create in the face of challenges and changing circumstances. Signatures, in turn, refers to the unique visual languages and personal expressions that define each artist’s work. The artist’s journey is also never complete, as is the story of Art which repeats in endless cycles. Together, these elements form a compelling narrative of artistic identity shaped through time, effort, and dedication.

Sasol Art Curator, Cate Terblanche, reflects on the importance of this ongoing initiative: “The 2025 Enduring Signatures exhibition honoured artists who continue to show up, to create, and to share their perspectives, irrespective of recognition or reward. The 2026 edition reinforces our commitment to acknowledging the sustained journeys behind artistic practice – journeys that enrich and sustain the broader cultural landscape.”

The exhibition features a diverse selection of artworks across painting, sculpture, and mixed media, offering audiences an opportunity to engage with a wide range of approaches and perspectives. It once again coincides with the Sasol New Signatures regional submissions, creating a dynamic moment of exchange between past participants and new entrants to the competition.

Enduring Signatures… again will be on view from 11 May to 15 July 2026 at the Sasol Art Gallery, Sasol Place, 50 Katherine Street, Sandton. Admission is free; however, viewing is by appointment only.

For enquiries or to arrange a visit, please contact: art@sasol.com

All artworks are available for purchase through the Association of Arts, Pretoria. Visitors are encouraged to support these dedicated artists and contribute to the continued growth of South Africa’s creative community.

ARTISTS INCLUDED IN ENDURING SIGNATURES… AGAIN

THABO TREASURE MOFOKENG

Thabo Mofokeng born in 1986 from the township of Ekurhuleni called Katlehong and is a Gauteng based Artist. He received his formal training at the Artist Proof Studio where he studied Printmaking between 2007 to 2009. In 2025, he received the Runner Up award in the Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts Competition for his portrait entitled Still Standing, which was acquired for the Sasol Art Collection .

Mofokeng normally specialises in acrylic paints but recently is exploring his art skills by combining his painting with objects and materials. His artworks are inspired by the beauty and the strength that lie within man.

His drive to keep on doing art is to inspire and remind us as human beings that we are of high value no matter how the world looks at you or where you come from.

BECK GLASS

Beck Glass is an interdisciplinary fine artist currently completing her B.A in Fine Arts at the University of Pretoria. Raised in a remote community near the Kruger National Park, her practice is rooted in physically engaged mediums, though she also experiments with digital videography and photography. Her work centres on the concept of flux -the ever-present state of change – and the emotional and psychological processes involved in adapting to the unfamiliar. Using art as a tool for self-exploration and reflection, she intuitively selects mediums that best communicate complex emotions, internal states, and personal coping mechanisms. Glass strives to create work that offers a visceral and honest expression of her emotional and mental landscape. The artist received a Merit Award for her work Sell – Fish in the 2025 Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts Competition.

BOUGAARD

Bougaard is a Johannesburg-based artist and Education Curator at Wits Art Museum (WAM). In her current role, she works across art education, programme development, and community engagement. Her artistic practice explores language, childhood games, and artisanal papermaking as entry points into hybrid identities in post- apartheid South Africa. In particular, she deconstructs and re-examines notions of “Coloured” identity, unpicking the cultural traces and practices that have been, and continue to be, associated with “Colouredness” today.

The term “Coloured” is an apartheid-era racial classification used to describe individuals of mixed racial heritage. Bougaard proposes the phonetic reimagining “Kullid” as a liberating creolisation of bureaucratic apartheid language. Rather than functioning as a new system of categorisation, “Kullid” operates in her work as a linguistic vessel for lived, embodied experiences of hybridity and becoming. Her practice also engages Afrikaaps, a dialect related to Afrikaans, with particular attention to Gamtaal, a slang form associated with “Coloured” communities.

Bougaard holds a Master of Arts in Visual Arts (Cum Laude) (2023), exhibiting her final body of work in a solo show at the Origins Centre Museum, and a Bachelor’s degree in Education (2021) from the University of Johannesburg, with experience in teaching, curriculum design, programme development, project management, and curation. She has exhibited in multiple group exhibitions in South Africa. Bougaard received a Merit Award in the 2019 Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts competition for her entry entitled Crucified, as well as being a Finalist in 2023.

JOHN ROBBERTSE

John Robbertse, born in 1991 and raised in Rustenburg, North-West, combines his love of painting with found objects such as antique teacups and dinner spoons. By doing this, Robbertse aims to comment on social issues primarily concerned with fluid personal identities and how society reacts to these identities.

Greatly inspired by South African installation artist Jan Van Der Merwe, his lecturer and mentor at the Tshwane University of Technology, Robbertse began to create his own visual language by working in miniature on found objects which, according to Van Der Merwe, “… resembles tiny pieces of jewellery which calls to be carefully inspected one by one”.

Robbertse participated in exhibitions such as Sasol New Signatures (2014) and the Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards (2014) as well as other smaller competitions and group exhibitions, including a collaborative glass exhibition with the likes of Australian glass artist Dr. Gerry King and Retief Van Wyk. He won first prize at the Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards in 2015, as well as the Lizamore & Associates Mentorship Prize which landed him his first solo exhibition in 2016 entitled “Mondvol-Mouthfull”.

After attaining his MTech degree in Fine and Applied Arts at the Tshwane University of Technology in 2017, Robbertse entered into the education sphere. For ten years, he worked as a Visual Arts educator both in the public and private schools such as Hoërskool Rustenburg and Curro Roodeplaat.

He currently resides in Pretoria where he works as a full-time artist focusing on furthering his own creative voice and creating private commissions. Recently, he also joined the Franco Prinsloo group as the production manager of Franco Prinsloo Productions (FPP) and head curator of the Franco Prinsloo Art Collection (FPAC) where he is contributing to the artistic landscape of South Africa.

Robbertse was included as a Finalist in the 2014 Sasol New Signatures for his work Archetypal conversations and again in 2015 for his work entitled Ek drink mos nie tee nie …

MATTHEW BLACKBURN

Matthew Blackburn (b.1994) is a self-taught artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. His practice is driven by a fascination with recreating different materials and textures, as well as exploring different compositions through balance, contrast, and rhythm. The majority of his works are presented in a still life format, allowing for the use of symbolic imagery, touching on themes such as sustainability, consumerism, nostalgia and mortality. Alongside his still life paintings, Blackburn produces powerful portraiture that capture both likeness and uniqueness of his subjects, preserving their stories within his works.

Acrylic paint is his medium of choice; over the years he has mastered its fast drying properties. His works consist of multiple layers with refined brush marks, creating a unique and recognisable style. Blackburn draws inspiration from the people around him, the environment and his upbringing. He is currently exploring the classical genre of vanitas through a more contemporary lens.

Blackburn won a Merit Award in the 2023 Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts competition for his work entitled Suffocation, which was subsequently acquired for the Sasol Art Collection.

MBALI TSHABALALA

Mbali Tshabalala (b.1988, East London) is a South African multidisciplinary artist, curator, and creative entrepreneur. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine and Applied Arts from Tshwane University of Technology. Tshabalala honed her skills with studies in printmaking at the Artist’s Proof Studio, complementing her background in Graphic Design and Darkroom photography. Her artistic journey began in 2019, transitioning from a career in curatorial and art administration spanning over seven years. This background enriches her artwork, often described as embracing a ‘curator as artist’ approach. Prior to focussing entirely on her art, Tshabalala held prominent roles including assistant curator at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MoCCA). Her curatorial credits include leading initiatives like The Joburg Fringe under the Young Capital banner. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Tshabalala founded Collective UNTITLD and Anecdotes Gallery, contributing to South Africa’s art scene.

Tshabalala’s practice encompasses collage, painting, printmaking, drawing and photography, exploring the intersectionality of black women’s experiences. Her work also challenges narratives around mental health, femininity, and African spirituality. Central to her artistic expression is her own identity, particularly within the context of a post-colonial African city. Tshabalala’s work intertwines ancient African knowledge systems with contemporary lived experiences through storytelling that reflects this cultural collision and its consequences.

REINHARD GIEZING

Reinhard Giezing is a visual artist based in Johannesburg South Africa. Surrounded by nature and an ever-changing environment Giezing grew up making his own toys and finding artistic inspiration in books, people, and the world around him. Reinhard pursued this never-ending artistic desire by studying visual arts at the university of Johannesburg where he endeavoured to know more about the intricate world of art. Currently in his Masters year of study, his artistic journey has been marked by a distinct evolution through his exploration of sculpture and challenging the way people interact with art. Over the past 4 years, Geizing’s work has explored concepts of materiality, technical excellence in production and the intricate ideas around us, combining ageless materials to explore different perspectives.

SELLO LETSWALO

Sello Ronald Letswalo, born in 1993 in Limpopo, South Africa, is a dynamic multimedia artist whose work explores personal narratives through the innovative use of found materials such as steel and Machangani bags. Letswalo graduated from the Tshwane University of Technology in 2017 with a B-Tech in Fine and Applied Arts.

Letswalo’s artistic process is deeply influenced by recycling and upcycling. By reinterpreting disregarded materials, he infuses them with new meaning and life, creating sculptural paintings that reveal the history and conditioning of the materials. His subject matter often revolves around dance, encompassing traditional, spiritual, and modern forms. Using traditional mediums like oil paints on discarded steel, Letswalo demonstrates a high level of skill and experience, transforming scrap materials from yards, homes, and streets into works of quality and value.

Through his art, Letswalo invites viewers to engage with themes of cultural history and identity. His use of salvaged materials and industrial treatments not only adds texture and visual interest to his pieces but also underscores the importance of sustainability and repurposing. His work celebrates the creative possibilities of found materials and the significance of personal storytelling in art.

Over the past five years, Letswalo has exhibited consistently, participating in numerous groups shows, art fairs, and competitions nationally, and has had three international exhibitions. He has collaborated with various arts organizations and is currently a resident artist at the Spier Art Trust. Additionally, he is working on a sculpture series for the Sculpture X and Rooftop XI exhibitions and is part of the Bag Factory Studio Residency under the RMB Talent Unlocked 2024 programme.

Letswalo’s ongoing exploration of African identity, cultural rituals, and the role of women in South African townships continues to resonate through his powerful and evocative artworks.

TAMMY BAIKIE

Tammy Baikie is a mixed media artist and writer whose installations include illuminated glass and mirrors as recurring elements. This not only allows her to disrupt the conventional picture plane with detailed, scientific images that are visible from both the front and back, but also to highlight the deceptive nature of transparency through reflections. Due to its association with the scientific world of labware and microscopes, glass is also ideal for interrogating the nature of research, knowledge and perception.

Using a postcolonial and eco-feminist lens, the artist investigates these themes by juxtaposing scientific imagery and other manifestations of scientific methodology with indigenous knowledge or pop culture to critique the idea that any knowledge system is monolithic or superior to others. Baikie won a Merit award in the 2025 Sasol New Signatures Visual Arts competition.

VIOLA GREYLING

Viola Greyling is a ceramic artist based in Pretoria, South Africa. She graduated cum laude with a National Diploma (2018) and BTech (2019) in Fine and Applied Art from Tshwane University of Technology, and completed a Master’s in Fine Art at the University of Pretoria in 2023. In 2020, she was selected as one of the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives.

Greyling’s practice is grounded in the exploration of identity, memory, and belonging, particularly in the context of migration. Having moved abroad as a child with her family, and returning years later with part of that family absent, she experienced a profound sense of dislocation. After completing school in 2014, she spent time abroad again, further navigating the complexities of home, identity, and belonging.

Now back in South Africa, Greyling draws on her surroundings to create ceramic works that act as vessels of memory; both personal and collective. She is particularly drawn to seeds, earth, and protective spaces such as caves, using these elements to anchor fleeting moments and emotional landscapes. Her work continues to trace the evolving processes of home, displacement, and transformation.

WILL ROUX

Will Roux (b. 1981, Johannesburg) is a Pretoria-based mixed-media artist and curator recognised for conceptually dense works that bridge the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary commentary. His practice is defined by a sophisticated interplay of hand-cut paper layering, embroidery, and weaving – utilising depth, shadow, and negative space to create immersive, multi-dimensional narratives.

Drawing from an extensive background in both fine art and professional conservation framing, Roux adopts a meticulous “miniaturist” approach. This technical expertise allows him to treat the frame and the vessel not merely as housing, but as integral conceptual components of the artwork. His recent work frequently explores the intersections of environmentalism, psychology, and human connection, often viewed through the evocative lenses of folklore, mythology, and the digital age.

Through a process he describes as “surgical labour,” Roux investigates the tensions between the organic and the synthetic, often reclaiming digital impossibilities through rhythmic, physical intervention.

As an active figure in the South African art community, Roux is a member of the Association of Arts Pretoria and an experienced curator of numerous group exhibitions. His career is marked by significant recognition, including being a Finalist in Sasol New Signatures (2016, 2017), as well as a Finalist in Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards (2016). He has participated in four solo exhibitions and over 50 group exhibitions. Roux also owns a framing shop specialising in archival and conservation framing of artworks.

WISANI MANYISI

Wisani Manyisi was born in 1985 in Limpopo, South Africa, and currently works and resides in Johannesburg.

Manyisi’s artistic journey is deeply rooted in his fascination with children’s psychology, which he juxtaposes with his childhood memories. His creative endeavours began in his youth, when the only available medium was clay, wire and other found objects. This early exploration of diverse mediums laid the foundation for his artistic development.

He started art seriously in 2010 when he attained a Foundation in Art Practice from the Funda Centre. He then proceeded to the Tshwane University of Technology in 2013-2017, where he completed a Diploma and a B-Tech in Fine Arts. Further expanding his education, he obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, specialising in Creative and Visual Arts, from the University of Johannesburg in 2019.

His diverse artistic practice encompasses printmaking, drawing, and sculpture. This multifaceted approach reflects his commitment to artistic expression. His work has been recognised through several achievements, including being selected as a student mentor in 2015-2016 and participating in the Association of Art in Pretoria student exhibition that year. He was also a finalist in the 2019 Thami Mnyele Art Competition, Sasol New Signatures Competition finalist in 2023, 2024 and 2025, as well as the 2025 Umsizi Nopende project.