Elephant Art Awards for Zainab and Malachi

Zainab Zidan and Malachi John won prizes in Elephant’s LGBTQ+&Inclusion Art Competition on 28 June, celebrating Pride Month. Zainab won an Elephant Award and Malachi won second prize, awarded by Kier. Elephant is a magazine, online art shop and art academy with an ethos to inspire every artist. 

Zainab and Malachi have just completed their studies on the Step Up to IT, Art and Media programme, 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.

Malachi said: “I was shocked and really pleased at the same time to find out my artwork was valued and to receive the acknowledgement.”

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.

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.”

Zainab and Malachi’s work was part of a series of ten artworks selected and displayed outside of Elephant Space, next to White City tube station. Smaller displays will also be installed at our West London College sites.

Emmely Elgersma, who organised the art competition at Elephant, said: “We wanted to reach out to schools and colleges 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!”