Vivienne Uche Okoro, a student of the Shinning Star Group of Schools, Abuja has emerged overall winner of painting in Japan, after strict screening of the paintings at the Kanagawa biennial world children’s art exhibition organised by the Japan Overseas Cooperation Association (JOGA), Japan
The price winning work exhibited at Kanagawa Plaza for Global Citizenship in Yokohama, Japan on the 7th July to 20th August 2017 had the tour of the exhibition which took place in fourteen venues in Kanagawa from September 2017 to March 2018. The work will be utilised for promoting international exchange and global understanding through children’s pictures.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, Okoro stated that she had always like doing creative things as a child.
She added, “I started drawing Disney princesses, then eventually I realised I really liked the Gele (head gear) and beads. When I heard about the competition with no topic, just draw what you want to draw. So I drew three African ladies wearing the Gele and I heard through the NCAC that I was nominated to travel for the competition in Japan. My school got an invitation from the Arts Gallery and they gave condition for the drawing saying that you just draw whatever you want on a piece of paper that was all”.
Okoro expressed so much gratitude for emerging a winner and applauded the NCAC for given her the opportunity and support to become an international winner of world children’s art exhibition.
The award which was the 19th edition of Kanagawa Bienniel world children’s art exhibition had a total of thirty five entries received by the National Council For Arts and Culture.
Meanwhile, the director general, Otunba Segun Runsewe, while presenting the award certificate to okoro said, the aim of the exhibition was to provide ‘people to people’ diplomacy which aims at cultivating children’s dreams and creativity and also help them appreciate each other’s cultural differences through artwork.
The Children’s Art Exhibition started in 1979 during the United Nations International year of the Child.
