Get ready to immerse yourself in the creative pulse of Nairobi! The city is buzzing with an electric mix of art exhibitions, gallery openings, and pop-up showcases that celebrate the bold, the beautiful, and the unapologetically original. Scroll down to see what’s happening this month iN Nairobi!
EVENTS
Brave New World | Alliance Française | Friday 2 May | Opening Reception 6pm | Exhibition Until 11 May
In today’s world, where visuals can mislead, how do we protect our grasp on reality? Karibuni to the world of ‘DeepFake’. Can you tell what’s real? At this event, tied to the exhibition “Deep Fake”, engage with expert insights from AFP, RFI Kiswahili, Africa Check and Africa Uncensored as they discuss the impact of AI on press freedom, media and public information. The panel discussion will be followed by exhibition opening reception.
Safisha Rada” The Elementz 7th Edition | The Mall Westlands-Rooftop | Saturday 3 May | 11am – 8pm
A wholesome Experience of Graffiti, Street Art, & Live music. Special Dub session by @umojahsoundsystem + more suprises. To be unveiled! Gey your tickets now, link in bio @theelementz.africa
Posta Walkabout | Munyu Space | Saturday 3 May | 11:30am
A guided walk-through of Anthony Muisyu’s thought provoiking exhibition “Posta”, which is curated by Mumbua Musembi. See exhibition write up below for more information.
OPENING THIS WEEK
Deep Fake / Brave New World | Alliance Française | Opening Reception Friday 2 May, 6pm | Exhibition Until 11 May
In today’s world, where visuals can mislead, how do we protect our grasp on reality? Karibuni to the world of ‘DeepFake’. Can you tell what’s real? Engage with expert insights from AFP, RFI Kiswahili, Africa Check and Africa Uncensored as we discuss the impact of AI on press freedom, media and public information (see EVENTS), followed by exhibition opening reception.
The Ties That Bind | Goethe Institut | Opening Saturday 3 May | 2 – 5pm
“The Ties That Bind” – a showcase of the artists that were part of the Sasa Nairobi Fellowship. Initiated by the Goethe-Institut to bridge the gap between artistic theory and practice, the year-long programme offered five artists an opportunity to develop their practice and engage more deeply with artistic discourses and research-based approaches.
Bringing together their practices, the exhibition is diverse in aesthetics and themes – each piece an invitation into a unique artistic realm, but also an opportunity to see what unites these young upcoming artists.
Beyond the exhibition opening, there will be a whole range of activities within the framework programme of the exhibition, amongst them artist talks with all the participating artists, delving deep into the development of the practice and how the programme has influenced their approach.
Dark Colours Bring Waters | Njenga Ngugi | Kamene Cultural Centre | Opening Saturday 3 May | 6 – 10pm | Until 31 May
“I’m currently deep in my residency—and what a journey it’s been. I’ve learned so much about my creative process, and I’m profoundly grateful for the opportunity to bring my vision to life.” – Njenga Ngugi
Surviving Death | Shah Houses, Ngara | Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 May | 7pm
Surviving Death is a bold, immersive choral and projection performance featuring the Africa premiere of The Ascendant — a searing, otherworldly work by award-winning composer Wally Gunn. This is a rare chance to experience a genre-defying choral work never before heard on African stages — performed by an ensemble of powerful young voices and brought to life through visual art, sound design, and sacred stillness. Blending contemporary composition with traditional African repertoire, Surviving Death invites audiences into a soundscape shaped by grief, resistance, and the fragile beauty of being alive. It’s a space to gather, to mourn, to feel, and to witness something wholly new.
Tickets at fullcircle.hustlesasa.shop
IG: @surviving__death
A debut production by musician and director Awuor Onguru @daluikkot .
The first of its kind in the country. A night not to be missed.
Nyerere Michael Pop Up | Embe Creatives | Saturday 3 May | 10am – 6pm
Brand new merch designs — fresh drops, limited pieces, and good vibes only.
LAST CHANCE TO SEE
Martin Musyoko | Que Pasa, Karen | Until Saturday 3 May | Open 9am til late
Join the artist in his quest for peace and thrill in nature.
Alfajiri Street Kids Art | Nairobi National Museum | Art Gallery | Until Sunday 4 May
When we can not tell our truth, too painful to tell! too dangerous to share! too intimate! too raw!! But oh! How will the world know about it! Silenced but not without a voice. Youths from the ghetto and streets children Immerse themselves in the world of art to tell stories that were never told. “Silent voices is our way of telling our story”
ONGOING EXHIBITIONS
The Kirk Season, 2025
The Descendants | Elias Mung’ora | One Off Gallery | Until 25 May
‘The Descendants’ is a series of work that continues my exploration of missionary work during the colonial period and the
lasting legacy that continues to date. The work is primarily based on the East Africa Scottish Mission in Tumutumu, from where my family trace their Christian heritage. The missionaries were interested in all areas of daily life, from education and spirituality to local customs, from marriage to circumcision and including the mundane; cooking, personal hygiene and mode of dress.” – Elias Mung’ora – Nairobi – April 2025
Theresa Musoke | The Presence of Living Things (1963 – 2025) | Exhibition Until 5 June
Musoke’s hand is skillful and distinctive; rendering her drawings, paintings and prints in an atmospheric blend of sensitive draughtsmanship and painterly experimentation. Colour, value and form come together in intuitive and organic ways; trees and birds merge with the sky, antelope and wildebeest with the ground, birds become clouds. Equally stunning, are her figurative works, primarily self-portraits that offer us a brief and rare glimpse of the artist and her impressions and translations just as she sees herself.
Posta (Pervasive whispers) | Anthony Muisyo | Munyu Space | Until 9 May
This exhibition is a walk through the city that encourages us to train our eyes to see what’s often overlooked, yet right in front of us, and to attune our ears to the constant hum of voices that shape our urban landscape. The work invites us to focus on the people—the fundis, designers, waganga, and others—whose contributions are all around us but often fade into the background.
Powerful Kenyan Women | HoF Gallery, Kibera Arts District | Until 15 June
Powerful Kenyan Women brings together works by Kenyan women artists across sculpture, fashion, furniture, murals, and more. The opening event invites the public to engage with powerful stories of success, shaped by collaboration and community.
Notes on Friendship: Breaking Bread | Various artists | NCAI | Until 27 July
The Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI) and The Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA) Tamale proudly present Notes on Friendship: Breaking Bread, a collaborative exhibition connecting artist-led institutions from Kenya and Ghana. This cross-continental project emerges from a desire to bridge geographic and generational gaps, fostering the exchange of dreams, ideas, and struggles influenced by the dynamic cultural, social, economic, and political realities of both regions. At its heart, Notes on Friendship: Breaking Bread explores the concept of friendship as a site for dialogue, critique, and creative support. @ncai254
No Borders | Prisscila Baxter | Chez Mahmadi | Until 24 May
Through her lens, a world unveiled. Journey beyond boundaries with *Prisscila Baxter’s* *”No Borders”* Photo Exhibition showcasing at Chez Mahmadi Gallery. Free entry but RSVP +254714082910.
East Chrome | Banana Hill Art Gallery | Until 26 May
Banana Hill Art Gallery is delighted to present “East Chrome”, an evocative exhibition showcasing the works of four exceptional Ethiopian artists—Eyayu Genet, Yonas Degefa, Nega Yilma, and Kibeom Seyoum. This exhibition brings together a dynamic fusion of colour, identity, and cultural expression.
The title “East Chrome” reflects the vibrancy and depth of artistic vision emerging from Ethiopia. Chrome, signifying colour and brilliance, represents the bold, chromatic storytelling that these artists bring to the canvas. Through their unique styles and perspectives, they invite us to experience the rich artistic landscape of East Africa, where tradition and contemporary influences intertwine.
Sina Jina Collection | 2nd Edition | The African Arts Trust | Ongoing
The exhibition’s focus this year is on the 2nd generation of Kenyan artists whose works are in the collection. The Sina Jina collection is a body of work collected by the founder of the African Arts Trust, Robert Devereux over the last 25 years.
Artwork: @aookello Anthony Okello,Herd Full of Dreams, 2020
Alibhai Mullah Jevanjee – The Grand Old Man of Kenya | The Nairobi Gallery
Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee was an Indian-born Kenyan merchant, politician and philanthropist. He was amongst the first and most influential Indian settlers in Kenya, amassing significant wealth and becoming a leader of Kenya’s Indian community.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
Lines of Legacy – Charcoal Dialogues Between Patrick Mukabi & Jimmy Kitheka | Ardhi Gallery | Opening Saturday 10 May, 3 -5pm
In this evocative two-man show, celebrated Kenyan artist Patrick Mukabi (b. 1969) and his protégé Jimmy Kitheka (b. 1993) present a compelling visual conversation in charcoal. Lines of Legacy explores the intergenerational transfer of knowledge, technique, and vision, tracing the quiet yet powerful evolution of artistic voice through mentorship.
Mukabi, renowned for his expressive portraits and dynamic figurative works, brings decades of mastery to the medium, his lines confident and alive with movement. Kitheka, one of the most promising young talents nurtured under Mukabi’s wing at the GoDown Arts Centre, responds with fresh intensity—his work probing identity, form, and presence through a younger lens.
Though rendered in the same medium, their works reflect different rhythms of life and artistic consciousness. Mukabi’s pieces speak with the gravity of experience; Kitheka’s carry the curiosity and boldness of youth. Together, they create a visual call and response—each stroke, shadow, and smudge building a bridge between two generations of Kenyan artistry.
The Journey Within by Sheila Bayley
Sheila Bayley | Under the Swahili Tree, Karen | Dates TBC
Keep an eye on @in.nairobi and @undertheswahilitreekenya for further details being posted very soon.