Kesha Gorajia was named the overall winner of Artcaffe’s 2nd Edition of the Art of the City Competition, which was launched during this year’s International Women’s Day.
The judges were captivated by Kesha Gorajia’s exceptional talent and artistic vision, which stood out among numerous impressive entries.
Her artwork captured the essence of the theme “Her Story,” reflecting the various narratives, struggles, and triumphs of women from all walks of life.
The competition, which was launched on International Women’s Day with the theme #HerStory, aims to celebrate women from all over the world who have made significant contributions to society and how the artist perceives this creatively.
The art submitted celebrated women’s achievements and sought to inspire through expressive forms of art, from mothers to sisters, wives to friends. Digital submissions were accepted.
Cyprian Kiswili (winner of the first edition of the Art of the City campaign held in 2020) and Adrian Nduma (celebrated artist, who regularly displays at Artcaffé branches) faced a difficult task in sorting through 270 submissions from professional and amateur artists, children and adults alike.
Cyprian added: “Art is a powerful tool in our society. Through art, we have seen movements happen and conversations shift. This year’s theme encouraged brilliant submissions, forcing people to look within themselves and understand what role women played in their life. It’s been powerful to see different approaches to the theme that all celebrated women.”
This year’s winners included:
· Overall winner: Kesha Gorajia
· 1st runner-up: Cecilia Gakenia
· 2nd runner-up: Victor Nderitu
· People’s choice award (selected by public votes on Artcaffé’s social media pages): Dennis Andrew
The overall winner received a cash prize of KSH150,000 and a chance to exhibit and sell their work at an Artcaffé restaurant. In addition, artwork from the 4 winners will be printed on the iconic Artcaffè coffee cups and displayed on the Artcaffé website.
