Three artists, Collins Murimi, Benson Hika Mwangi, and Patricia Githae, won an art competition and exhibition hosted by the Cultural Council of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Nairobi on December 5.
The event, themed on social justice and equality, saw more than 100 submissions, with 50 artworks shortlisted for the final exhibition after a rigorous selection process.
The winners received cash prizes of Sh60,000, Sh40,000 and Sh30,000, respectively, judged by veteran visual artist Patrick Mukabi and poet Vincent Nyangor.
First-place winner Collins Murimi submitted his winning artwork titled Speak It Loud. It is a charcoal realism portrait that shows a blindfolded man with a rope tied around his mouth.
This speaks about being blinded and muted by political and social factors.
Third-place winner Patricia Githae says that the win validates her work and motivates her to keep creating. Her winning piece, Gardens in Graves, is a mixed-media piece that addresses gender-based violence (GBV).
“I submitted it because it resonated with the competition theme of social justice. My work aims to encourage people to hold onto hope. Victims of GBV can get through the situation and live better, as I also find that the healthiest plants grow on graves,” she says.
Benson Hika Mwangi’s untitled mixed-media piece talks about the inclusivity of women in leadership and about spirituality.
He explains that it is about embracing healthy values of social justice and equality as the backbone of human existence, “It is our duty to make the world a better place, for our sake and that of the future generations, and to embrace each other’s differences.”
The ceremony, held at the Iran Cultural Centre in Nairobi, was attended by diplomats, art enthusiasts, students, and representatives from organisations including the Kenya Film Commission, Ahlulbayt Assembly of Kenya, Bilal Muslim Mission, and UNESCO.
Dr Mahdi Beigi, Iran’s cultural counsellor, praised the strong turnout and the significance of young artists in social transformation.