President receives copy of ‘Koze Koze’ |01 March 2023

President Ramkalawan receives a copy of the book from Ms Yu (Photo: Joena Meme)

President Wavel Ramkalawan has received a signed copy of the first edition of a book entitled ‘Koze Koze’, designed by Shirley-Huizhong Yu.

It was Ms Yu and artist George Camille who presented the copy of the book to the head of state in a short ceremony at State House yesterday morning.

‘Koze Koze’ is about 18 artists from different types of art including visual art, music, poetry, writing as well as dance and architecture, among others. It is set as a conversation between two friends talking about their childhood and upbringing, answering question like ‘What made you pursue this field of art?’

The book was a project taken up by the Seychelles Arts Foundation and supported by government’s National Art and Cultural fund grant, as well as sponsors from the private sector and the community. The project started in 2020 and it involved several interviews with local artists.

Ms Yu, who is the author of the book, described it as an educational book. “It is in a way going to educate people who do not know artists that well because some people may think that it is a glamorous and easy job, but it is not. And I think this book will help make them look at artists differently,” she said.

A hundred copies of ‘Koze Koze’, are being donated and distributed among the donors and sponsors and 400 copies are going to be on sale. The official book launch will be held on March 9, 2023 at the National Museum of History.

Diane Larame