Couple Investing in Art, not Home Furnishings

One need not live in a mansion to be a collector of fine Kenyan contemporary art. All you really need are walls and passion. One doesn’t necessarily need heaps of cash either, although it helps to have a bit if you are like the Fredericks.

John and Anastasia Fredericks are a couple who grew up in homes where their families collected fine art. So despite their growing up on opposite ends of the earth, in the US and in Siberia, they both knew the benefits and the beauty of covering walls with amazing works of art.

Upon arrival in Kenya in 2012, they quickly caught up with the local arts scene. Consulting several discerning souls, they got advice and insights from Carol Lees of One Off Gallery and Marc van Rampelberg of Rampel Designs.

“At first, we thought of collecting art as simply a hobby,” says John. “But then when we saw how many young creative kids are out there producing interesting works, we decided to take our collecting more seriously.”

It’s the artists who have less of a high public profile and are less established that the Fredericks say they want to support by collecting their work.

“I especially like the younger artists who are still experimenting and exploring new ways of expressing themselves,” says Anna who just recently acquired several collage paintings by Elias Mong’ora. Meanwhile, John is negotiating with another artist based at Brush tu Art Studio, Michael Musyoka, to obtain one of his paintings.

“I like supporting these kids since I can see their art is going places,” he adds.

In fact, the Fredericks explain they’d like to one day leave a legacy of fine Kenyan art for their children. “We’d also like to own art that we feel will accrue in value over time,” he says.

To that end, they have acquired works by artists who are acclaimed professionals and who have caches that extend beyond Kenya’s borders. Among those artists whose works cover the walls at the home are Peterson Kamwathi, Beatrice Wanjiku, Richard Kimathi, Fitsum Behre Woldelibanos, Jak Katarikawe, Charles Sekano and Rosemary Karuga.

They are especially fond of Patrick Kinuthia’s landscapes which have a pride of place in their living room.

“We even borrowed an easel from Carol so we could place Patrick’s paintings until we have time to hang them,” says John. They also own art by Peter Ngugi, Anthony Okello, Anne Mwiti, Sebastian Kiarie, Sane Wadu, John Kamicha, Shabu Mwangi, Mick Gichugu and Joshua Mianga to name a few.

The beauty of the Fredericks’ collection is that despite their not living in a mansion, they have found creative ways to maximise the value of their wall space by hanging their paintings effectively.

Living in a three bedroom, two story marionette with a veranda and lovely garden, one has a feeling of walking into an eclectic collector’s art gallery once you step foot in their home. In part, that’s because there is less furniture and more art on the walls.

“That’s because we’d rather invest in art than home furnishing,” Anna says.

In the living room and adjoining dining room, there’s one L-shaped comfy sofa and coffee table, a few book cases, and carpets. Otherwise, what draws you into the house are the Kamwathi, Kinuthia and Kiarie paintings. The miniature Anne Mwiti’s also find a place on Anna’s bookshelves as does one unusual mahogany carving that Ana found in a curio shop which was otherwise filled with wooden hippos.

The carver was on hand the day Ana found the gargoyle-like sculpture. “I asked him why he didn’t create more of these. He said most tourists want to buy hippos, not the other,” she says.

Climbing upstairs, one finds their bedroom looks like an extension of the gallery below. There are paintings everywhere: one Fitsum, side by side a Sane Wadu and in another corner a Meek Gichugu and an exceptional Jak Katarikawe. The guest room next door has more amazing Kenyan art now mixed with a bit of Georgian, Mozambican and Ugandan.

It’s the third would-be bedroom that discloses all the yet-to-be hung gems the Fredericks have also procured. Fortunately, they’ve got wall space along the staircase that can serve to show off more of their marvellous and still-expanding collection of contemporary Kenyan art.