ABSOLUTEGran Kaz
onstructed in 1855, Kenwyn House’s first oc-
cupant was chief medical examiner Dr. James
Henry Brooks before becoming the home of
the engineers of the Eastern Telegraphic Com-
pany and, finally, being declared a national
monument in 1984.
In the years that followed, the house has stood proud in
the heart of Victoria, though years of wear and tear and
being weather-beaten finally took a toll.
In 2018, Gran Kaz acquired the lease on this monument
and with the help of Laxmanbhai and Co. The company
embarked on the exciting journey of restoring the beautiful
building, so exemplary of the French colonial style of the
time – which has become synonymous with traditional
Creole architecture – to its former glory.
Kenwyn House now stands open to visitors as a public
art gallery, showcasing some of the most extraordinary
works of local Seychellois artists. By giving this building
back to the community in the form of a gallery Gran Kaz
are not only helping to promote and encourage local artists
in the Seychelles, but also further enriching the art scene in
the capital.
The Kenwyn House Gallery operates as a purely
non-profit entity. This means that not only is it free for the
artists to display their work, and free entry for visitors, but
it also means that they do not sell any of the artworks on
site. Rather, they allow the artists full ownership of sales.
The gallery rotates artists on a quarterly basis, ensuring
that the art exhibited is always fresh and exciting. Many big
names on the local art scene have already been featured
in the Kenwyn House Gallery, alongside up and coming
new faces. Gran Kaz aim to help further cultivate the arts
in Seychelles, both in the sense of enticing young people
to be more involved in this field, but also to encourage so-
called amateur artists to continue to develop their skill and
passion. The team hope to achieve this with a new project
they have in the pipelines – the Kenwyn House Gallery Arts
and Literature Awards.
Kenwyn House Gallery also boasts the first ever Coco de
Mer Wall in Seychelles - presenting the unofficial emblem
of the Seychelles in all its forms, shapes and sizes. The Coco
de Mer, which is the largest nut in the world, and endem-
ic to the Seychelles, is a rare plant that gained protected
status in 1995.
C
Set up in collaboration with the Seychelles Island Foun-
dation (SIF), the wall is dedicated to providing information
about this most intriguing plant and raising awareness
about the work undertaken by the SIF for its protection
and propagation. The wish is that the Coco de Mer wall will
become a landmark in its own right, a perfect place to take
a ‘Seychelles selfie’ – a unique keepsake for visitors.
Since its opening in October 2018, the Gallery has made
quite an impression on all who have visited – artists and
art lovers alike.http://www.grankaz.scA perfect place to take a
‘Seychelles selfie’ – a unique
keepsake for visitors.Since its opening in October
2018, the Gallery has made
quite an impression on all who
have visited – artists and art
lovers alike.