Arts

Art auction preview jam-packed with gems

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A view of artworks at Circle Art Gallery ahead of the auction on November 9, 2021. PHOTO | MARGARETTA WA GACHERU | NMG

Offering a generous preview of this year’s Art Auction East Africa, the Circle Art Gallery in Nairobi’s Lavington has filled all their walls, plus some floor space with 60 plus paintings and sculptures that will be at the art auction.

The auction event to be held on November 9 at the Radisson Blu’s ballroom will feature several artists whose works have not been seen at the auction before.

With eight African countries represented in the auction, including Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, the few non-East African artists, like Robert Saidi, Charles Sekano, and Twins Seven-Seven are exceptions whose presence only enhances the excitement of the show.

What will be equally exciting is the presence of so many Kenyan artists whose works were selected by Circle Art’s curator-director Danda Jaroljmek to be in this much-anticipated annual event. It is no surprise to see works by Peterson Kamwathi, Joseph Bertiers, Fitsum Berhe, and Cyrus Kabiru whose home-made ‘radio’ and ‘blue Mamba’ bicycle sculptures signal more of the C-Stunners’ innovative genius.

But then there are Kota Otieno’s untitled ‘woven’ painting, Kaafiri Kariuki’s meticulous drawing of ‘Orchestra II’, and Joel Oswaggo’s whimsical village scene, painted years before he moved back to the village.

Other Kenyan artists whose works will be sold at the auction include Jackie Karuti, Ehoodi Kichapi, Wanyu Brush, Michael Wafula, Tabitha wa Thuku, Sane Wadu, Gor Soudan, and Mazola wa Mwashighadi. Artworks of older painters such as Edward Njenga, Joni Waite, Kamal Shah, and the late Rosemary Karuga (who passed on earlier this year) are also up for sale.

Ms Danda did not shy away from bringing works by East African artists who have been long gone. Most notably Ugandan artists Geoffrey Mukasa and Eli Kyeyune, Nigerian artist Twins Seven Seven and Tanzanians E.S. Tingatinga, George Lilanga, Robino Ntila, and Romano Lutwama as well as lesser-known painters like Doreen Mandawa, John Baptist de Silva, and Fabian Mpagi.

The founder and director of both the Art Auction East Africa and Circle Art also included some newcomers to the auction. They include young Ugandans like Muwonge Kyazzo Matthias and Banadda Godfrey, mentored by Teresa Musoke whose art graces the cover of this year's catalogue.

This show is also special because one will have the chance to see a wide variety of media that the artists have employed. There is plenty of oil or acrylic paint on either canvas or paper, enamel on board, and shredded newspaper. But there are also watercolours, charcoal with ink, coloured and graphite pencils, and mixed media of various types.

The sculptures also work in mixed media, from wood and scrap metal to soft steel, and spare parts.

The other diversity that one will find in this year's art auction is the genres. There are paintings and sculptures, etchings, and woodcuts. But the paintings range from figurative, still life, and portraiture to surrealist, abstract and semi-abstract.

As always, the range of valuation can seem inscrutable, inexplicable. For instance, bidding for one painting can start at Sh79,000 and potentially reach a maximum of Sh101,000. Meanwhile, another artist’s minimum will be Sh1.36 million while his maximum price can reach Sh2.05 million or more.