Two students from Ealing Green College, part of West London College, have been recognised for their art by winning prizes and an award in the Elephant’s LGBTQ+&Inclusion Art Competition which celebrated June’s Pride Month.
Zainab Zidan won an Elephant Award and Malachi John won second prize, awarded by Kier. Elephant is a magazine, online art shop and art academy located next to White City underground station which seeks to encourage and support artists.
Both Zainab and Malachi had their work on public display at Elephant.
Zainab’s work, a collage, is titled ‘Breaking Barriers’. Zainab said: “I have taken different parts from women and men and then combined them to show anyone can be who they want to be.”
Malachi’s artwork, titled ‘You Are Not Alone” depicts a waterfall as a rainbow and represents everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. Before it there is the small silhouette of a person standing lonely and isolated, gazing at the waterfall, which is the hope that everything is changing.
Malachi said: “I was shocked and really pleased at the same time to find out my artwork was valued and to receive the acknowledgement.”
Both Zainab and Malachi have recently completed their studies on the Step Up to IT, Art and Media programme which is run at Ealing Green College. Next year Malachi plans to progress to Art and Design Level 1 and Zainab, who wants to be a pharmacist or doctor, plans to progress to Applied Science Level 1, but is also considering Travel and Tourism.
Emmely Elgersma, who organised the art competition at Elephant, said: “We wanted to reach out to schools as a way of communicating with our local community, using a public space to show what people are feeling. The project, which is the first of its kind has worked so well we will be utilising the space in a similar way for the future.”
Gareth McLennan, Head of Curriculum for IT, Digital and Creative said: “Congratulations to Zainab Zidan and Malachi John, and thanks to their teacher Lorna Acikalin for overseeing the whole Step Up to IT, Art & Media group’s entries. You’ve all done West London College proud!”
To find out more about Elephant and the exhibition, click here.
