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Zimbabwean artist wins FT, OppenheimerFunds Emerging Voices art award

27 Sep 2016, 06:49 pm
Financial Nigeria
Zimbabwean artist wins FT, OppenheimerFunds Emerging Voices art award

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- The annual Emerging Voices Awards is a global initiative designed to recognize artistic talents in literary fiction, film-making and artworks.

Gareth Nyandoro Pix: Emeka Kupeski Okereke, FT

The Financial Times and OppenheimerFunds have annonuced winners of the Emerging Voices 2016 Awards, according to a statement released by FT and OppenheimerFunds. Gareth Nyandoro, a Zimbabwean artist won the art award; Clarissa Campolina, a Brazilian film-maker won the film award; while Eka Kurniawan, an Indonesian writer won the award for fiction.

The annual Emerging Voices Awards is a global initiative designed to recognize artistic talents in literary fiction, film-making and artworks across more than 100 emerging market nations. Two Africans, Syowia Kyambi, a Kenyan; and Gareth were nominated last month in the Art Work category. A Jordanian, Noor Abuarafeh, was the third finalist.

Born in 1982, Gareth combines three-dimensional objects with two-dimensional collages using a technique he calls ‘Kuchekacheka.’ “I try to recreate situations that people don’t see as important,” he told Financial Times. “I want to show them what they are missing.”

“It has been a fantastic process getting to know the finalists and now winners of this year’s awards through their hard work and dedication to their individual crafts,” said Michael Skapinker, associate editor of the Financial Times and chair of the judges. “I think I can speak for the entire panel of judges when I say that it is incredible to be able to share the winners’ stories and amazing talent for a second year.”

Clarissa won the award for the film, Solon. Runners-up in the film category are Paraguayan Tania Cattebeke Laconich, for the film Olia; Colombian Camilo Restrepo, for Impressions of a War. Eka won the fiction award for Man Tiger. Runners-up in this category are Yu Hua, The Seventh Day (China); Yan Lianke, The Four Books, (China). The three winners each receive a $40,000 award and the runners-up in each category receive $5,000.

“The emerging markets continue to be an area of inspiring innovation, vision and talent across industries and sectors, from the financial markets to the arts,” said Justin Leverenz, Director of Emerging Market Equities at OppenheimerFunds and Founder of the Emerging Voices Awards. “This award allows local artists to share their creative voice on a global stage and represent their country through their skilled craft. We are extremely honored to be a part of this international initiative.”

According to the statement by FT and OppenheimerFunds, in making their decisions, the independent panel of judges looked for the most original pieces which best showcased the art form and voice of a region. The competition was open to artists from emerging market nations in the following regions and categories: fiction from Asia-Pacific countries; film from Latin America and the Caribbean; and painting, drawing, sculpture and mixed media from Africa and the Middle East.

Last year, a Nigerian writer, Chigozie Obioma, won the Emerging Voices award for fiction for his novel, The Fishermen. He also received a cash gift of $40,000.


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