Short List 2025
The African
Women
in Art Award
before
15/11
Nominations
The African Women in Art Award is a visual art competition for women designed to showcase the immense talent of women visual artists from the Sub-Saharan Africa.
Drawing
Painting
Digital Art
Mixed Visual Art
Sculpture
Classic works created with pencil, charcoal, ink, or similar materials.
Works created with oil, watercolor, acrylic, or other traditional painting techniques.
Works created using digital technologies such as graphic tablets, drawing software, etc.
Works combining various techniques and materials, such as collages, installations, and other multimedia pieces.
An artistic form in which hard or plastic materials are worked into three-dimensional art objects.
Click on the nomination to quickly navigate to the winners and finalists (if any).

Category: Painting

The winner of the nomination Senafkish Zeleke.

Ethiopia

Coming and going

Coming and Going explores the transient nature of life, movement, and human experiences.

Through abstract forms and layered textures, the painting evokes a sense of passage—moments of arrival, departure, and the flow in between.

The interplay of colors and dynamic brushstrokes reflects the rhythm of change, suggesting both uncertainty and continuity. This work invites viewers to contemplate the cycles of life and the emotions tied to journeys, both physical and metaphorical.

Radiance of a new dawn

This abstract composition captures the spirit of new beginnings and the promise of a luminous future.

With bold strokes, vibrant hues, and dynamic geometric forms, the painting evokes the energy of renewal that comes with the New Year. Circles, radiant bursts, and layered patterns symbolize cycles of time, continuity, and growth, while the interplay of warm and cool tones suggests harmony between past experiences and future aspirations.

The work invites viewers to reflect on the endless possibilities that lie ahead, embracing optimism, transformation, and the light of new opportunities.

Feeling

Our feeling is changing many times in a day, happiness, sadness and sometimes we are crying and laughing as the same time, so I want to show these feelings by using colours and technically arrangements on my canvas.
Women
Women are a mother ,a sister, a daughter. Wife and source of family also a country.
I know all these as a mother, a wife how responsible for the family. Like day and night Like sun and moon changing by their turn.
Finalist

Category: Mixed VISUAL media

The winner of the nomination Precious Longret Samuel.

Nigeria

Threads Of Representation

This batik piece portrays identity, unity, and transformation, celebrating women’s leadership and inclusion.

The table, adorned with vibrant motifs, symbolizes shared decision-making and collective progress. Each fabric pattern reflects Nigerian women’s diverse experiences, their resilience, and interconnected struggles. The seated figures represent generations who fought for visibility and empowerment, carrying the hopes of countless others.

Dark silhouettes honor women who advocate from the margins, nurturing future leaders. The roots beneath the table symbolize Nigeria’s strength and potential.

This artwork calls for inclusive leadership, reminding us that progress thrives when every woman’s voice is woven into the nation’s fabric.

Heritage Unshackled

This batik piece captures the presence of the Eyo masquerade—a cultural emblem deeply rooted in the traditions of Yoruba in Lagos. Seen during the Eyo festival showcasing the rich history and heritage of the Yoruba people. The Adire patterns significant to the Yoruba people in purple hues as the background, represents the royal significance of the Eyo masquerade.

The Eyo, while symbolic of festivity, also holds weight as a representation of tradition that adapts yet remains iconic. Blackness, in this context, is culture—alive, bold and foundational.

Cultural celebrations are a vital part of the Black community for several reasons. Many of these cultural celebrations originated as a way to resist oppression, maintain cultural identity, and assert humanity in the face of adversity. These celebrations can serve as a means of empowerment, promoting self-expression, pride, and resilience.

This piece is a reminder that even in the face of loss, hardship, challenges and suffering we always find a way to celebrate our culture and heritage.
Finalist