KIBERA GALLERY HOLDS ART COMPETITION FOR YOUNG ARTISTS

By Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted 8.25.23) Uweza Gallery and its founder Jennifer Sapitro had the right idea when they decided to organize the ‘Wasanii wa Mtaani’ visual art competition and especially looked for young artists coming from ‘under-served’ suburbs (otherwise known as ‘informal settlements’) like Mathare, Mukuru, Korogocho, and Kibera where the gallery is based. The exhibition and competition explicated aimed “celebrating young artists from Nairobi neighborhoods,” their poster read, including the venue where the show would be held, Alliance Francaise. To that end, they had established just one criterion, which was that the artists be between the ages of 18 and 30. “We were really targeting young, up-and-coming artists from underserved communities,” Jen told BD Life on the day that selected judges were appraising the art that filled all of AF’s upstairs and downstairs walls. Plus, in one corner of the downstairs show, there were scores more paintings that couldn’t be hung for lack of wall space. “Those works are not necessarily less significant than the art that’s exhibited,” Jen said. “But we did try to put up the best art out of the three pieces that we had invited artists to submit,” she added, noting that they’d received 205 paintings in all. In fact, the Call Out that went online to all the social media platforms and networks elicited a rich response from a wide range of artists, mainly those just starting out on their creative careers. According to Uweza’s country director Japheth Okoth, the gallery was the first site of selection where the works were received. Of those 205 works, they were scaled down to 180. After that, a jury of five, who had been recommended by AF’s Harsita Waters, were invited to come help adjudicate the finalists, first shortlisting the numbers down to ten of their best picks. Then, each of their final ten were collected and collectively voted on. Ultimately, they could only pick three winners in all: the first prize and then two runners up, one male, the other a female. “One of our objectives was to highlight women artists which is why we created a special award for them,” Jen said whose Uweza Foundation also works with several other community service projects, assisted by a Grant given by a combination of donors, including EU, British Council and HEVA. “We also aimed to be democratic and transparent in the selection process,” Okoth added. It wasn’t an early process, all the adjudicators agreed since so much of the art received was quite good. The judges were five, including Thom Ogonga, artist and editor of Nairobi Contemporary magazine, Judy Ogana, representing UNESCO, Anitah Kavochy, artist based at Maasai Mbili, and Dr Margaretta wa Gacheru, author and journalist with Nation Media. And chairing the adjudication process was Alliance Francaise Director Charles Courdent who expressed appreciation for the quality of much of the art already on display. “We at Alliance Francaise are delighted with the art being exhibited,” Charles told a gallery-full of young artists, their families, and friends as he welcomed them and officially opened the exhibition. “We are witnessing the emergence of the next generation of contemporary Kenyan artists,” noted Peterson Kamwathi, one of Kenya’s most acclaimed artists who had come to the opening last Thursday night together with Michael Soi, another leading local artist who shared Kamwathi’s perspective. Coming from them meant a lot to those who knew who they are. The place was packed by the time the winners were announced. One can imagine the enthusiasm of hearing names of the winners. The first prize went to Isaiah Mulunga, 21 from Mukuru Artists Collective, while the two runners up were James Kamande, 30 from Mwiki, and Risper Achieng, 26, from Kariobangi. The winners will receive Sh60,000, Sh50,000, and Sh50,000 respectively. The one award the judges were not involved in was the People’s Choice which was selected on opening night by the people who came and found the ballet box at the entrance of Alliance and voted for their favorite artist, Okoth explained. The most thunderous of hoots, ululations, and applause came when Faith Lonah Mokeira was named the People’s Choice. She’ll receive Sh25,000. The petit painter was swamped with family and friends once they heard her name called. On opening night many of the young artists had never been to Alliance Francaise before. But while scores of selfies were being taken, one could see that most of them felt comfortable in the gallery and are likely to return. Meanwhile, the AF Director has already agreed that this competition and exhibition should become an annual event at Alliance.