Emerging young African artists will get the opportunity to gain recognition for their talent by submitting their art works for auction and/or online sales as part of the Shoprite Checkers Strokes of Genius art development project which was launched in September 2007.

Strokes of Genius, An Auction for the Development of African Fine Art was conceived to realize the potential inherent to the untapped arts and culture economic sector. The project is aimed at helping young local artists find a market and gain recognition for their work while encouraging a healthy art industry in Africa.

Strokes of Genius invited emerging young African artists on high school and tertiary level to submit their works to a panel of selected experts, who would select the best 10 art works per province which auctioned at a major arts auction, the first of its kind in South Africa, in November.

Apart from the 10 best art works, the panel of experts were allowed to use their discretion to select additional artworks which they believed have potential. The deserving artworks were photographed at the event and the photographs displayed on the Strokes of Genius website, www.strokesofgenius.co.za to be sold on-line.

Any high school, college or university student older than 16 years of age was free to submit their works with a view to being selected for the auction and make use of the Strokes of Genius website in offering their works for sale.

More information from Sarita van Wyk, Shoprite Checkers Communications Department on 021 980 4269 or svwyk@shoprite.co.za