It’s the New Year and not to worry if you missed out on visiting exhibitions in December, many are still on or have been extended. Check out the art scene in Nairobi this month!
ONE OFF EVENTS
Once Again: Black & White | Issam Hafiez | Kemet Arts Gallery | Friday 10 January | 4 – 7pm
Featuring the extraordinary works of Issam Hafiez this collection explores the delicate interplay of art, poetry, and thought. Alongside his captivating black-and-white paintings, discover a special book that delves deeper into his vision through articles and poetry.
Live Painting & Conversation with the Artists | Aweko Rosette & Achieng Owira | Under the Swahili Tree | Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 January | 11am – 8pm
In conjunction with their ongoing exhibition “She Speaks: African Feminine Perspectives” at Under the Swahili Tree, Karen, Achieng Owira and Aweko Rosette will be presenting days of live painting with the opportunity to talk to the artists dirctly about their work.
Sahej Rahal | Untitled (from The Book of Missing Pages), 2018- 2023 | Mixed media on paper
Event: Myth Making Workshop ft. ‘The Book of Missing Pages’ | NCAI | 25 January
Stay tuned to iN Nairobi and NCAI for further details.
ONGOING EXHIBITIONS
Before Our Home Goes Down: Group Exhibition | Wajukuu Arts, Mukuru | Contact 0722523636 or 07293065664 |Until 11 January
She Speaks: African Feminine Perspectives | Aweko Rosette & Achieng Owira | Under the Swahili Tree, Karen | EXTENDED Until 19 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 | EXTENDED until 24 January
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
Humanimals | Dar Al Naim | Red Hill Art Gallery | Until 17 January 2025
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.
Emerging Echoes | Alliance Française | Until 31 January
An exhibition featuing the work of 19 emerging artists based at Uweza Gallery, Kibera.
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.
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
COMING SOON
Figurative Figures | Kuda Kagudu, Clinton Artisto & Sir_jeey | HOF Gallery | 8 January – 2 February | Opening reception Saturday 11 January, 3 – 7pm
The new year brings a new exhibition to the HOF Gallery Kibera in the Kibera Arts District. This one has a short run of one month it for sure will be worth a visit. For any information, feel free to contact: 0741443678
Birhane Worede, Angel
Six New Artists: Pamela Enyonu, Ethel Aanyu, Fetlework Tadesse, Birhane Worede, Sandra Wauye, Liberatha Alibalio | Circle Art Gallery | 22 January – 27 February
Circle debuts six new artists in the gallery to start the programme for the new year. “One of the best parts of our job as a gallery is finding new artists whose work we fall in love with, who we would like to work with and that we think our audience will appreciate.” For Circle Gallery’s first exhibition of 2025, they will share a selection of six artists from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania who they are excited to exhibit:
Pamela Enyonu
Ethel Aanyu
Fetlework Tadesse
Birhane Worede
Sandra Wauye
Liberatha Alibalio
Fragments of Home | Romeo Niyigena | SenaArt Gallery X Under the Swahili Tree | Opening reception Tuesday 21 January, 6 – 8pm | Through February
Niyigena is an emerging artist from Kigali, Rwanda. His works primarily encompass oils & acrylics on canvas through which he exploes the theme of diversity, a profound source of inspiration for him. His work is deeply influenced by cultures he has encoutered across Africa. Each of Niyigena’s creations is imbued with poetic expression, weaving a unique narrative or symbolism, inviting the viewer to dive deeper.
Threads of Unity | Patrick Kinuthia, Kennedy Kinyua, Derrick Munene | Ardhi Gallery | Opening reception 8 February, 3 – 6pm | Until 28 February
An exhibition celebrating the interconnected journey of mentorship, collaboration and artistic evolution.