One-off events, last-chance-to-see and newly launching exhibitions – we’ve got everything you should see in the Nairobi art world right now on one page.
EVENTS
Visual Writing Workshop
Saturday 27 July
The HOF Gallery Kibera is inviting you for a workshop, crafted for visual artists and writers. You will be learning and experimenting with so-called visual writing. A visual writer is a storyteller, who’s writing will be inspired by the visuals.Offering their precious insights will be the two guests: multitalented artist & researcher Emmaus Kimani and Dorphan – Kenyan social justice writer and poet.
The HoF Gallery, Kibera Arts District. Reserve your spot
Res(e)t – الإعادة: An Exhibition of 21 Multidisciplinary Sudanese artists | Rest Residency in collaboration with Circle Art Gallery
Photo by Faiz Abubakr
Opening Wednesday 31 July | Until 23 August 2024
The Rest Residency is a consultation space for artists and cultural activists who fled the war in Sudan and arrived in Kenya, 21 Sudanese artists from the fields of painting, photography, filmmaking, design and music joined the residency program as both a family in remote and a space where their sense of responsibility towards the situation in Sudan can be expressed. They used the previous six months to work collectively and individually on artistic projects that express their personal views on the situation and what they have gone through, along with studying ways to create impact and preserve their narrative of history.
“With the ongoing mass displacements of over 11 millions and the risk of famine in 14 areas of Sudan, this exhibition represents an outcry from Sudan’s cultural sector to the waring parties to rest the guns and to stop the war immediately.” curator and director Rahiem Shadad
Program Agenda:
Wednesday 31 July: 4 – 9pm – exhibition opens, speeches will be at 6pm
Inauguration of the event – Open to public
Thursday 1 August: 10am – 8pm
Film screening – Open to public (free entry 60 seats only)
First film: “Is it War” , with discussion 5 – 5.30pm
Second film: “Out of Service”, with discussion 5.30 – 6pm
Third film: “Aflam Sudan Fest” a documentary, with discussion 6 – 6.40pm
Fourth film: “Voices of the Birds” , with discussion 6.40 – 7.30pm
Friday 2 August: 10am – 7.30pm
Guided exhibition tours
Artist talk 1: 4 – 5pm | Artist talk 2: 5.30 – 6.30pm | Artist talk 3: 6.30 – 7.30pm
Saturday 3 August: 5 – 8.30pm
Concert – Open to public | Musical discussion: 5pm – 6pm | Ambient music: 6pm -7pm | Live concert in the garden (dress warm): 7pm – 8:30pm
Circle Art Gallery | Victoria Square, Riara Rd.
LAST CHANCE TO SEE
Somali Art and Culture | Various Artists
Until 26 July
It is one thing to preserve the cultural art of a society; however, it is quite another to do so during periods of political instability and socioeconomic hardship.
Golol Gallery, the first and last independent gallery of its kind ever established in Somalia, successfully opened the doors at Nairobi National Museum with the exhibition ‘Somali Art and Culture’ by the gallery’s founding artist, Ali Said Hassan.
Nairobi National Museum Creativity Gallery
Kitenge Yangu | Karuma Christine & George Kamiti
Image by George Kamiti
Until 30 July
A celebration of Kenyan dress culture, in imagery.
Kenya National Museum Creativity Gallery
Echoes of Khartoum – Sudanese Artists in Nairobi
Exhibition ongoing through August.
Since the conflict in Sudan has begun, a number of artists who were working in the once thriving art scene in Khartoum have fled and re-settled here in Nairobi. This exhibition presents 6 of those artists, working in varying styles and mediums.
Under the Swahili Tree, Marula Lane, Karen
Similar Values | Paul Kintu
Until 31 July
This exhibiton showcases Kintu’s captivating series featuring small figures set against a backdrop of vibrant, multicoloured roller and palette knife strokes. This series conveys a powerful message: no matter how small someone or something may seem, they possess the potential to achieve greatness and should never be underestimated.
Banana Hill Art Gallery, Banana Raina Rd, Banana Hill
Colors of a Painter | Santana Sino, featuring 𝐹𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑎ℎ 𝐼𝑗𝑎𝑖, 𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝐾𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑎, 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑡 𝑇𝑜𝑛𝑢𝑖, 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑒 𝑂𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑎, 𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑦 𝑀𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑢𝑟𝑖, 𝐶𝑅𝐴𝐸 & 𝐷𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑀𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑖
Until 10 August
A concept exhibition based on poems by 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐨 a visual artist and Poet based in Nairobi. Together with 6 other visual artist Santana illuminates a series of work he has been working on for 3 years focusing on issues like Self-Identity, Self-Acceptance, Rejection and Love.
HoF Gallery in the Kibera Arts District, Kibera
NEW EXHIBITIONS UPCOMING
Fool Me Once | Natocho Faith feat. Kui.sun
Opening 25 July 6pm | Until 22 August
Natocho Faith: “People generally trust that perception reflects objective reality and worry that this reliability is compromised if what we see is influenced by what we know or expect. While human perception is often consistent and stable, evaluating its reliability is challenging because it’s unclear how to establish the actual facts of perception”
Kui.son: ”…This is an art from where beads and bones are intricately inter-twinned together, around a string through a series of hand- made knots and ties. The Mothers of a Community would sit all-together creating these pieces, and speak a blessing into the Life of the one to whom she will gift it to. This makes for a more potently charged piece of Jewelry, where with every KNOT there is the trans-mutated Life. Force of the Maker. And, the aesthetic gives a really curious finish, with each bead, and bone knitted permanently in place. This also renders the piece virtually indestructible, physically, and spiritually. While this process sound meticulous, I see it as a kind of cultural meditation, that helps me decipher messages from the great beyond….”
Munyu Space, The Mall, Westlands
Peter Ngugi | Flying Over The City
Opening Saturday 27 July 2pm – 5pm | Until 18 August
Ngugi utilizes images of kangas in his paintings. Ngugi expresses that the colourful kanga holds a significant role in culture, politics and religion within the East African region.Widely used to convey messages through the Kiswahili texts on the fabric, it has been included in many traditional and cultural ceremonies, such as weddings and bridal ceremoniesas well as to convey political messages and to pass religious messages to the masses. With these signifiers in mind, Ngugi has placed the kanga as the center-piece of his composition in this body of works. The wind and movement of the fabric represent change and dynamism. Flying Over The City is a journey to greater heights without the restrictive expectations of the city below. With an open mind and open arms, the model takes off to conquer new heights.
One-Off Gallery | 28 Lone Tree Road, Rosslyn
Endangered Echoes | Rashid Amin
Opening Saturday 27 July 2pm – 5pm | Until 18 August
An exhibition that seeks to amplify the silent, yet vital, voices of our planet’s endangered plant species. In this collection, each sculpture carved from natural stone serves as a testament to the delicate balance and harmony that exists between nature and humanity, and a call to action for sustainable living. Our world is an intricate tapestry woven from countless threads of life, with plants and trees forming the backbone of this natural network. These silent sentinels provide us with the oxygen we breathe, the food we consume, and the raw materials that support our daily lives. They are the unseen architects of our environment, stabilizing the soil, moderating the climate, and sustaining the intricate web of biodiversity that all species depend upon. However, the echoes of these plants are growing fainter. Human activities, from deforestation to urban expansion to illegal logging, are pushing many plant species to the brink of extinction. Each piece, meticulously carved from natural stone, symbolizes the enduring strength and beauty of these plants, yet also their fragility in the face of human neglect.
One-Off Gallery | 28 Lone Tree Road, Rosslyn
In The Absence | An exhibition by Wajukuu Art Project
Opens Friday 2 August 6pm-8pm | Until 14 September
Featuring work by Ngugi Wawere and Shabu Mwangi, this exhibition comprises an installation that juxtaposes corrugated iron with traditional construction materials such as dry grass and mud, underscoring shifts in perceptions of home. It envisions a communal space where contemplation and healing can take place amidst disorder. Altered images in the mirror encourage observers to surpass their accustomed identities. Through the sounds and natural vibrations of Tibetan singing bowls and poetry are intended to bring healing in the midst of societal unrest.
The African Arts Trust | Victoria Square, Riara Rd.
60 Years – The NCAI Collection
Image: Fabian Mpagi, Untitled (Portrait of the artist’s mother and younger brother), 1977
Since its establishment, NCAI has assembled a collection of artworks that spans six decades and encompasses a diverse range of artistic expressions from the region. “60 Years” will feature selected modern and contemporary works from this collection by artists from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, offering a nuanced exploration of East Africa’s cultural and artistic evolution.
The exhibition title, “60 Years,” speaks to the temporal scope of the artworks and reflects NCAI’s commitment to chronicling the dynamic history of art-making in East Africa. Featured artists include modern masters such as Afewerk Tekle, Theresa Musoke, Pilkington Ssengendo, and Ancent Soi, alongside contemporary artists like Syowia Kyambi, Richard Kimathi, Peterson Kamwathi, and Chemu Ng’ok. The exhibition will highlight seminal pieces that mark key movements in East African art history and contemporary works that engage with current socio-political themes. Some works mark key moments in the evolution of particular artists’ practices, and collectively, the selected works contribute towards a narrative of modern and contemporary art that is reflective and forward-thinking.