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Portrait2022

Portrait of Polycarp Igathe — The Contender

A bold graphite portrait of Polycarp Igathe, drawn at a pivotal moment in his career as he stepped away from the corporate world to chase the Nairobi gubernatorial seat — capturing the man behind the ambition.

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Portrait of Polycarp Igathe — The Contender

Detail Shots

Portrait of Polycarp Igathe — The Contender - Detail 1
Portrait of Polycarp Igathe — The Contender - Detail 2

Technical Details

Medium

Graphite Pencil

Paper Type

Sketch Paper

Dimensions

29.7 × 42 cm

Time to Complete

4 days

Year Created

2022

Subject

Polycarp Igathe — Businessman & Nairobi Gubernatorial Candidate, 2022

The Story Behind the Artwork

Politics has a way of putting people under a spotlight unlike anything else. When Polycarp Igathe resigned from his position at Equity Group Holdings in April 2022 to contest for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat, Kenya's eyes turned toward him. Here was a man who had built an impressive corporate career — and was now betting it all on public service. I wanted to watch him closely. Not just as a citizen curious about Nairobi's future, but as an artist drawn to faces that carry weight — faces that tell a story of ambition, conviction, and calculated risk. Before the 2022 general elections, I felt the urge to put him on paper. There was something compelling about capturing him at this exact moment — in between two worlds, having left one chapter and not yet begun the next. I worked in graphite on A3 paper, focusing on the detail in his eyes behind those signature glasses, the texture of his suit, and that wide, confident smile that seemed to say he knew exactly what he was doing. I completed the portrait on 7th May 2022 — months before the elections, before the outcome was known.

Tags

Polycarp Igatheportrait2022 electionspoliticsKenyangraphiteBlack and White

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