The Museum Mural Debate

Kenya Wed 10-01-2007

The Museum Mural Debate
By Bertha Kang'ong'oi

On 12 December 2007 – Kenya’s independence day – the Kenya national museums of Kenya decided to paint all its buildings in its corporate colours.

That included painting over a landmark mural, that for a year had become one of the main attractions of the museum. Painting of the mural, sponsored by Africancolours, was done by a host of renowned Kenyan artists.

Mural at the National Museums Of Kenya

^{Artists painting a mural at Africom Building, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi | 2006}

A heritage professional, Dr Gonda Geets, who arrived at the museum as the wall with the mural was being painted tried to no avail to stop the destruction of the mural.

On contacting the museum director of regional museums sites and monuments, Dr a Mzalendo Kibunjia, Dr Geets was told that the museums owned the building on which the mural was painted and so it was its (museum) discretion to do what it deemed fit.

All the walls were being painted in the museum’s corporate colours.

But Dr Geets concerns, as well as those of the artists who were involved in the project and many others following the controversy – had nothing to do with what the museum can or cannot do with its buildings.

It is more of a concern to do with the very mandate the necessitated the formation of the national museums of Kenya: to identify, protect, conserve and transmit the cultural and natural heritage of Kenya as well as promoting the cultural resources in the context of social and economic development.

The mural, which the NMK had agreed to have it on the Africom building within its premises, was a cultural heritage, a work of art to be treasured, not destroyed.

But then again, perhaps the national museum of Kenya’s interpretation of what is art may have caused them to go ahead and scrap the mural without even consulting the artists.

What makes art art, is perhaps the point at which the controversy lies. What role does that art play in shaping a people’s culture and society? And getting back to the museum, should the form and appearance of the museum – buildings and all – take precedence over its function?

What’s should be of greater value, the form or the function? And should art only be tucked away in museums or should be something that is accessible to all – regardless of social standing and interpretation of the art?

Posted By: African Colours

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