Check out our full listing of what’s on in the the art world here iN Nairobi, this week and in the month of December. A few are last chance to see!
OPENING THIS WEEK
Roads: Sudan-Hub Showcase | Goethe-Institut | Opening reception Thursday 5 December | 6pm
In collaboration with @therestrsdncy “Roads” is an exhibition that celebrates the individual journeys of resilience of 4 Sudanese artists. Through the usage of various mediums such as painting, VR, and sound, the artists express the issues and the memories that matters to them the most at a time of exile and the context of war. The exhibition is open everyday from 10am – 5pm, except Sunday.
Artists:
@hozaifaelsiddig
@dj_jaguar_249
@artistwaleedmohammed
@yathrip__249_
Poster art by: Ythreb Hassan. Designed by: @rahiem.shadad
Lamu’s Best | Stephen Ndung’u Lance | Nairobi National Museum, Creativity Gallery | Opening 6 December | Until 31 January 2025
Discover the captivating artistry of Stephen Ndung’u Lance, a renowned Kenyan painter whose work celebrates the beauty and heritage of Swahili culture. Born into a family of artists, Stephen has mastered the art of storytelling through his vibrant paintings and intricate three-dimensional creations.
Musing in Colour | Kobo Trust x Tewasart Gallery | Opening Saturday 7 December 2pm | Until 22 December
‘Musing In Colour’ is a title inspired by the work of Ethiopian artist Abel Beyene. Musing refers to a period of deep thought, reflection, or contemplation. The exhibition presents work by 17 artists based in Nairobi, Kampala, and Addis Ababa exploring vibrant, abstract, and figurative styles with themes around people, identity, cultural diversity, and urbanization expressed through painting and mixed media mostly on paper and canvas.
ONE OFF EVENTS
Artist talk with Agnes Waruguru @waru_guru | Circle Art Gallery | 3pm
A discussion with the artist Agnes Waruguru on the occasion of her solo exhibition “What The Water Left Behind”. Waruguru received a B.F.A. in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA in 2017. She has participated in residencies at the Rijksakademie van beldeende Kunsten in Amsterdam, ArtSpace Sydney, Saba Artists Residency in Lamu, VideoBrasil Biennial Artists Residency in Boicucanga, Brazil. Waruguru participated in the inaugural edition of the Stellenbosch Triennale, South Africa, 2020. She has been nominated for the Volkskrant Beeldende Kunst Prijs 2022, at the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam. She Participated in the 22nd Edition of the Videobrasil Biennial in São Paulo. Waruguru is currently showing in the 60th International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia, Foreigners Everywhere.
Film Screening: How Do You Spell Lonely | NCAI | Thursday 4 December | 4pm
A short dance-poetry film by Joseph Obel and Neo Musangi. Artist Talk: Dive into the intersection of care, art, and collaboration with Joseph Obel and Esther Kamba. Entry is absolutely FREE! Please RSVP via the link .
Before Our Home Goes Down| The Wajukuu Collective | Mukuru | 7 December | 2-5pm
Come engage with powerful art that gives voice to the lived experiences of Mukuru residents. The exhibition which is part of the Wajukuu Art festival, transcends the traditional gallery setting, showcasing works that tell stories, preserve histories, and envision futures. As part of the event there will be a performance by *Ghetto Classics*
To reach the venue, Wajukuu Arts Mukuru, follow the GoogleMaps link & find the individuals with reflectors and Wajukuu t-shirt to take you around when you arrrive.
Wajukuu Art Festival | Mukuru | Thursday 5 – Saturday 7 December | 2 – 5pm
The **Wajukuu Art Festival** is bringing beauty, authenticity, and creativity to life! Join us for three incredible days of art, culture, and community as we celebrate the transformative power of expression. Don’t miss out—let’s make this an unforgettable experience together.
Come engage with powerful art that gives voice to the lived experiences of Mukuru residents. The exhibition transcends the traditional gallery setting, showcasing works that tell stories, preserve histories, and envision futures.
On Saturday there will be a special exhibition and performance by Ghetto Classics from 2- 5pm. Location is linked here. Find the individuals with reflectors and Wajukuu t-shirt to take you around when you arrrive.
Kibera Art Parade | Saturday 7 December | Chief’s Camp, Kibera | From 2pm | Call 0741443678 for details
Counting days to the Kibera Arts Parade 2024. We are ready to bring a-lot more fun, love and togetherness to the community. On stage we shall have soem not-so-new faces – young artists we have been moving this journey with, including Hetch EF, One Kid, Limbo Fest & Babra Chloe. Join Kibera Art District in celebrating the arts & the community!
Rangi Za East Live Graffiti Event | Nakeel Stadium, Rongai | Friday 6 – Wednesday 11 December
ONGOING EXHIBITIONS
She Speaks: African Feminine Perspectives | Aweko Rosette & Achieng Owira | Under the Swahili Tree, Karen | Opening Thursday 28 November, 6pm | Until 7 January 2025
This exhibition brings together two strong female voices from the world of emerging artists. With layers of multi-coloured dots which combine to result in visually striking images, Aweko explores a rich tapestry of African life. Using bold colours from a rich palette, Owira mines her life experiences to interrogate the shifting identities of African people, often focusing on women and examining the gap between who society says women should be and what they are.
Under the Swahili Tree, Marula Lane, Karen
Two Worlds, One Gallery | Ardhi Gallery | Thursday 28 November – Monday 23 December | 10am – 8pm
Ardhi Gallery invites you to explore the beauty of duality with their latest exhibition. Step into a space where diverse froms of artistic expression collide and complement, offering a truly immersive experience.
Curator’s Pick: Explore an exquisite collection of the curator’s handpicked favorites. These works showcase bold creativity, emotional depth, and the diverse perspectives of contemporary artists. Each piece tells a story, offering a glimpse into the heart of modern artistry.
Virtual Reality: Kenyan Heritage Reimagined: Journey into the rich tapestry of Kenya’s heritage through cutting-edge VR installations. Immerse yourself in dynamic, 3D renditions of cultural landmarks, traditions, and history. It’s an interactive experience that bridges the gap between past and future.
Ardhi Gallery, Ole Sangale Link Rd. @ardhigallery
Siân Daniel : Artistic Alchemy || Kahare Miano : Works in Progress | One Off Gallery | Saturday 30 November – Sunday 15 January 2025
One Off Gallery brings you two very different mixed media artists: Siân Daniel has been a name in the arts in this region for many years. Back in the day, Daniel was the design brain behind a company called Tinga Tinga. More recently, she completed a stint at Hatton Garden in London, where she had a ‘bench’. In her latest series of works, Daniel has moved away from precious metals towards more mixed media works inspired by the environment.
Kahare Miano has also been an enduring name in the artistic space. With a background in architecture, a very sure drawing hand is evident in all Miano’s works which are inspired by environment, politics, land issues and generally those heros amongst us who speak truth to power.
One Off Gallery, 28 Rosslyn Lone Tree Estate Road | www.oneoffcontemporaryartgallery.com
Image courtesy of Red Hill Art Gallery
Humanimals | Dar Al Naim | Red Hill Art Gallery | Until 17 January 2025
The Book of Missing Pages | Sahej Rahal
Wayfinder: Sahej Rahal | NCAI | Until 01 March 2025
Wayfinder welcomes viewers into Rahal’s world, where myth, narrative, imagination, and technology intertwine to challenge conventional understandings of reality and encourage them to participate actively in Rahal’s ever-expanding cosmology. Rahal’s practice comprises a journey through evolving mythologies that span sculpture, performance, video, and digital media.
Wayfinder will feature two major video works shown alongside a selection of drawings from The Book of Missing Pages (2018-2023) and three new sculptural works. Distributed Mind Test (2023) is a multiplayer video game where players become fractured impulses of thought embodied within a young non-human creature navigating a world engulfed in perpetual night following an unknown cataclysmic event that has exhausted all human life. Anhad (2023) is an interactive AI simulation where viewers encounter an AI-controlled entity whose limbs carry recorded notes of Hindustani music, which emanate as they wander a digital forest, receiving audio input from the physical world to generate an infinite song.
Nairobi Contemporary Arts Institute (NCAI), Rosslyn Riviera Mall, Limuru Rd. @ncai254
Installation view courtesy of Circle Art Gallery
What the Water Left Behind | Agnes Waruguru | Circle Art Gallery | Until 3 January 2025
Agnes Waruguru is interested in everyday materials, especially those associated with the home and daily routines. Her practice is a weaving of slow meditative processes and quick reactive moments, at once formal and abstract, drawing together process and craft. Many of her works reference traditions of women’s work, personal identity politics and traditional cultural identifiers as modes to engage with memory, place and expanding notions of home. She draws from personal experience to create new landscapes which can often be memory or emotionscapes that invite the viewer to look slowly, imagine and speculate.
Circle Art Gallery | Victoria Square, Riara Rd. | www.circleartagency.com
More is More | Taabu Munyoki & Allan Simba| Hof Gallery | Until 9 November
𝑻𝒂𝒂𝒃𝒖 𝑴𝒖𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒌𝒊 & 𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒃𝒂 are sharing a body of intriguing works from the aspect of Consumerism.
Patterns of Beauty | Angela Fischer & Carol Beckwith | Tribal Gallery | Until 24 January
Fischer and Beckwith have been photographing the rituals and ceremonies of Africa for over 45 years. Today over 40% of rituals and ceremonies that they have photographed no longer exist.
Tales & Journeys: Suudi Kukumba & Damba Ismail | Banana Hill Art Gallery | Until 3 January
A vibrant exhibition featuring Ugandan artists Suudi Kukumba and Damba Ismail. This exhibition explores African life, community, and the beauty of nature through compelling paintings.
Yesterday’s Price Is Not Today’s Price | Mihayo Kalaye | The African Arts Trust | Until 29 November
Mihayo Kalaye (b. 1996, Tanzania) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. His work encompasses a wide range of media, including fabrics, photography, video, tattooing and found objects. With a focus on the post- colonial situation in Africa, decolonization, restitution and sustainability, his work delves into African history, spirituality, and politics.
“A Symphony of Color- A nature story” | Chege Gitura | Opening Sunday 3 November | Until 30 November
Nairobi National Museum, Creativity Gallery
Anjali Khamar | Chez Mahmadi | Meet the Artist | 30 November | 3 – 6pm
Anjali’s art attempts to capture the awe that nature inspires, in a kaleidoscope of unexpected colour that aims to uplift, delight and leave a sense of joy and positivity in the beholder, in a stark departure from contemporary art on the continent that often showcases the bleakness of life.
