‘Lobster’ by Absalom Aswani at Karen Village (left) and KV founder Tony Athaide, Justice Agnes Murgor, Elizabeth O.Mazrui and Chief Justice Willy Mutunga (out of frame) admire a 3D model of Karen Village plan. The space opened officially a couple of months before 2015 wound down.. FILE PHOTOS | MARGARETTA WA GACHERU
What you need to know:
The motivation for opening new centers is the recognition that more local artists are asking for opportunities to exhibit their work.
The big story of 2015 within the art world is the amazing proliferation of art spaces that have opened up in Nairobi over the last year.
It’s undoubtedly an excellent development since in most cases, the motivation for opening new centers is the recognition that more local artists are asking for opportunities to exhibit their work.
There are a few cynics who see this trend as nothing more than “everyone wanting to get on the arts bandwagon. They think it’s chic to have a gallery.”
Whether it’s a bandwagon or not, the reality is that nearly all the new art spaces are filled with artistic activity that is stimulating greater interest in the visual arts, both among young people and prospective patrons of east African art.
In fact, Nairobi gallerists could be seen as part of a global trend towards widening interest in African art. But if CNN, BBC and even the Financial Times are taking time to talk about the trend, most of the Western media are yet to take serious note of Kenyan artists’ contribution to the rising tide of creative expression currently being witnessed.
Fascinating trend
Nonetheless, what’s fascinating about the trend is that the artists are often the ones setting up the new art spaces themselves. For instance, installation artist Wambui Kamiru recently set up The Art Space which has already had several outstanding solo and group shows.
Patrick Mukabi, a well-known painter and TV children’s art teacher, also just opened his own studio/exhibition site which he calls The Dust Depo. It’s a space consistently filled with young artists eager to be taught and mentored by Patrick – which he does, even while he paints prolifically himself.
Right across the street from Patrick is the Railway Museum Studio which is a bit older than a year, but it’s also become a beehive of activity especially in 2015 as increasing numbers of young artists move into whatever empty corner they can find to paint and exhibit their art.
Meanwhile, the Brush Tu Art Studio initially only housed three artist friends – David Thuku, Boniface Maina and Michael Musyoka. But more artists have not only moved in (Waweru Gichuhi and Elias Mung’ora); they jointly decided to get a bigger space and start having open houses where they exhibit their latest works.
The lovely landscape colorist Adrian Nduma has also transformed his home and studio into an art gallery. Bonzo Gallery has existed for a couple of years, but recently Nduma started mixing a fabulous once-a-week meal with an ongoing exhibition of his art.
Marc van Rampelberg, the Belgian furniture maker who’s lived in Kenya for many years, is more of an artisan than artist. But since he moved his studio/workshop to a larger space and showroom, he too has started exhibiting art by regional artists like Fitsum.
Then there is Paul Onditi who occasionally opens up his studio to young artists who need exhibition space. They will ask him if they can use his Swan Centre, knowing Onditi sometimes shares his studio for a week or so if he’s not in the thick of a major project.
Shabu Mwangi is an artist based in the Mukuru so-called ‘slum’ who set up Wajuku Gallery a bit more than a year ago. But his work has attracted greater interest this past year as he has both exhibited and taught local kids to paint as well as exhibit their work.
Photographer Zach Saitoti also started Swifteye Gallery a bit more than a year ago, but he too has been especially active mounting exhibitions this past year.
Then there is Karen Village which opened officially a couple of months before 2015 wound down. The brainchild of avid art collector Anthony Athaide, the studio spaces on his 10-acre ‘village’ are all full with a long waiting list of those wanting space for themselves.
And while William Ndwiga is more of an art dealer than artist, he started several years back doing mobile exhibitions until he was finally able to establish The Little Art Gallery in Kisumu. But just recently, Ndwiga set up another Little Gallery in Karen to exhibit artists like Maggie Otieno and Mwini Mutuku.
Meanwhile, all the established galleries and art centers in and around Kenya’s capital city are also busy exhibiting artists’ work.
That includes Banana Hill Gallery which was started by artists Shine and Njambi Tani more than 20 years ago; the up-market One Off Gallery started by a former interior designer Carol Lees in 1993; the Creativity Gallery at Nairobi National Museum whose chief curator, Lydia Galavu is a sculptor as well as gallerist who’s always curating exhibitions at the Museum’s Art Gallery; and Danda Jaroljmek who set up Circle Art Agency with Arvind Vohara three years ago.
Curates East African art
But it was only in 2015 that Circle set up its own gallery which is also the base from which Danda curates east African art auctions.
Then there’s the Nairobi Gallery started by the former owner of African Heritage Pan African Gallery, Alan Donovan.
African Heritage was established back in 1971, several years after two of the first galleries started by artists – Paa ya Paa in 1965 by Elimo Njau together with five other friends of the arts and Gallery Watatu opened by two artists, the late Robin Anderson and Yony Waite who just recently had a group show with women artisans from all over Kenya.
