Let's Preserve Our Unique Street Art

Kenya Tue 17-01-2006

Let's Preserve Our Unique Street Art
By Macharia Gaitho/ Nation Media

I have been thinking a lot about Eric von Daniken lately. Remember him? He was the Danish archaeologist and writer who enthralled many of us in our formative years with the Chariots of the Gods series.

He travelled the world and wrote a number of books pushing his theory - that now seems real barmy - that the earth was once colonised and controlled by aliens form outer space.

He did present a great deal of evidence from the wonders of ancient Egypt and Peru to cave paintings from Europe andAfrica. His theory was that the pyramids and the Inca temples could only have been built by a superior intelligence.

From cave paintings, he presented photographs he surmised could only have been early depictions of space travellers. And why should I be thinking about von Daniken now? Well, if an American spy satellite made a swoop over Nairobitoday, the image analysts at those top secret defence and space facilities will surely be scratching their heads over the strange hieroglyphics that have suddenly appeared on some city streets.

Some of those images, presumably crafted by some very artistic souls at City Hall or the Ministry of Roads and Public Works, look remarkably like the ancient cave paintings in which von Daniken read evidence of extra-terrestrialintelligence.

They also remind me of a recent initiative by Ms Amolo Ng'weno and others to preserve ancient cave paintings in Mt Elgon and other sites in Kenya. I don't know where the boundary lies between ancient rock art and modern abstract art. Some of the great artists through the ages like Picasso, Dali, Miro and others have found fame and fortune by going back to a genre popularly referred to as primitivism.

In the West today, some underground graffiti artists have broken through into the mainstream with their zany use of line and colour. Maybe theirs could be defined as modern rock art, seeing as to its links to rock, hip hop and other forms of contemporary music and cultural expression.

And now, out of Nairobi, comes an entirely new form of artistic expression, the definitive street art we are driving and walking on. Just studying and trying to interpret the images, for me, provides a fascinating diversion from the normal gloom wrought by crime, murder, rape and politics.

While the cryptographers in Washington try to decipher what they think might be coded messages to rival spy satellites, let us all take a bit of time and enjoy the art on our roads.

At least until some bulldozers come along and spoil it all with yet more futile and very expensive attempts to make our roads motorable. Perhaps we should start a national campaign to preserve the street art of Nairobi before some vandals come and rip it all up in the name of development.

Related Links:

Posted By: African Colours

skip to top

Your Comments

skip to top

African Artists Portfolios

Miguel Petchkovsky is a Mixed Media Artist

Innocent Nkurunziza is a Mixed Media Artist

Geraldine Robarts is a Mixed Media Artist

Click To View All African Artist Portfolios

Kaafiri Kariuki at the Creativity Gallery

Shades of Time: An exhibition by Kaafiri Kariuki at the Creativity Gallery National Museum of Kenya

Features By Regions

Featured Artist Portfolio

Title: Making Ways
Name: Tabitha Wa Thuku
Country: Kenya
Medium: Mixed media on heavy canvas
Size: 149 X 140 cms
Click here to view