KENYAA aka STEPHANIE MZEE

Biography:
 Stephanie Mzee widely known as “Kenyaa” is a writer, visual artist, Self taught Photographer and filmmaker based in Cape Town currently completing her studies in Film and Television at the creative arts and media school, City Varsity.

Earlier this year she was named one of Design Indaba’s 40 Emerging South African Creatives and later on one of South Africa’s 27 Creatives to watch as well as being one of 2018’s Trailblazer nominee for The Young Independent Top 100 leaders in the SADC region.

Her recent photography series titled COMPLY was exhibited at the YoungBlood Gallery in Cape Town. Kenyaa focuses on spotlighting Black Women and children as well as storytelling and believes art can make the world a better place.

Kenya’s statement:
‘I AM MORE’ explores the beautiful as we all as complicated relationship many people who live in townships have while living in an area many look down upon. As the title suggests, it is saying I AM MORE than my circumstances, more than the area I come from, more than what outsiders may see in a community so many of them only pass judgement as they pass through it.
By using portraits of the children at Injongo Educare in Mfuleni, we speak life into the future of the community and focus on the youth, as so many times in these conversations we forget about the younger generation and tend to focus on the older generation. With these portraits mixed with 24k gold leaflets, I am to show how life in this area can be surrounded with golden moments, that there are gems to be found even when the rest of the world does not believe so. I AM MORE also touches mainly on the misconception that children within these communities cannot experience fun. That there is only the bad to focus on and very little good if any.
I aim to shed a spotlight on the little things that make everyday a fun experience unique to the children living in the community.