A Journey Through Art

Kenya Fri 18-05-2007

A Journey Through Art
By Africancolours.com

‘These are self portraits; they show my moods and feelings in exaggerated colour and texture. I call them faces’. These are the words of one of the exhibitors, Beatrice Njoroge, at Alliance Francaise during the much anticipated Cheld on the 28th April 2007.

The inspiration for the gallery walk: “It is to increase the visibility and presence of the arts in Kenya and throughout Africa.” said Andrew Njoroge, AfricanColours Director back in 2006.

The first in a series of 3 to be held this year, the Gallery Walk commenced at the Alliance Francaise, attracting 25 participants ,who included students from the Buru Buru Institute of Fine Arts, artists, art enthusiasts, critics and art writers.

Harsita Waters, the Arts and Culture coordinator of Alliance Francaise was at hand to introduce the participants to the gallery and to the two exhibitions that were taking place at the time. The tour through the Alliance gallery was directed by Mary Ogembo who is a painter and sculptor and Thom Ogonga, who is also a painter as well as a wood-cut print maker.

The exhibition was dubbed ‘Contemporary Art in Kenya’. It featured artworks by last year’s winners of the ‘juried exhibition’ which included John Bertiers- overall Jury prize, Maggie Otieno (Best Sculptures category), Kamal Shah (Best of Mixed Media Art), Beatrice Njoroge (most promising female artist) and Samuel Githui (Best Paintings category). This exhibition was a follow up on work that has been in progress since the inauguration of the competition in March 2006.

Beatrice Njoroge’s faces in abstraction brought the crowd together. Her use of random brush strokes and the clear exaggeration of her subject matter is a theme that she has been concentrating on since last year. And as expected John Bertiers gave humour and cast reality to the social issues affecting the country.

His work does not cease to amaze; He is able to portray his subjects in elaborate ways, his eye for detail invites the viewer of his canvases to look at every inch of his humorous, satirical look at Kenyan social political environment.

Rakeeb Hassan’s Exhibition 'Mystic Metaphor' works were on display on the first level of this very active cultural centre. The artist who graduated at the Creative Art Center in Nairobi and worked with artists such as Mazola wa Mwashigadi (now in Jamaica), Shake Makelele, Maggie Otieno, Pauline Irungu, Irene Aseu (now in Uganda), is not a stranger to the Kenyan Art scene. Now based in Canada, Rakeeb’s work is full of strong, fresh colours presented in abstract. Rakeeb was at hand to talk to the participants and answer their questions regarding his work and inspiration.

From the Alliance Francaise, we proceeded to the RaMoMa Gallery at Rahimtulla Plaza, on Upper Hill. Participants were received by James Muriuki the manager of the gallery. Malindi based artist Andrew McNaughton, whose show ‘Beach Art’ was showing was at hand to speak to the guests about his work. Whilst living in Watamu, on the Kenyan Coastline, he has developed a wide range of beguiling fine art and functional pieces made entirely from found, recycled or sustainable objects.

Working our way through the exhibit, we begin to understand his inspiration and fascination with collecting washed away flip flops, drift wood, broken canoes and sand that comprise his works. The participants got the actual feel of a beach setting as they entered the gallery. For some participants it was “A great contrast of work, technique and display. I am very impressed”, quipped Diana Achieng a young participant.

Gallery Walk - Maggie Otieno Since January 2001, RaMoMa gallery has provided space for the display of contemporary visual Art.

The GoDown Arts Center was our next stop. The Art Center is vibrant and an active space that hosts both visual and performing forms of arts. Within this complex is Kuona Trust artists’ studio space that accommodate up to 20 artists. Maggie Otieno a practicing artist at the studio introduced us to the grounds and to our first contemporary dance stop by Kunja Dance.

Patrick Mukabi, a Kuona Trust based artist introduced the participants to the other artist studios. At the GoDown participants were able to walk in-walk out and mingle with the artists. ‘There is so much to see and learn from this place, and especially for visitors, once they come they do not want to leave in a hurry’ we are always happy to receive visitors here’ said Yassir Ali one of the artists based there and a Gallery Walk participant. ‘The GoDown is a very dynamic place. I enjoyed it very much’ said Desmond Thompson’. it was a challenge getting everyone to leave the GoDown. The participants left the GoDown a contented lot

Gallery Walk Paa Off we were to the Paa Ya Paa gallery, Ridgeways, off Kiambu Rd. ‘Paa Ya Paa’, as we found out, means “reaching the peak of maturity in art” a Kiswahili word forged by Elimo Njau and Samuel Wanjau, both great sculptors of their time. Philda Njau, wife to the legendary Elimu Njau was happy to meet and talk to us about the long and very impulsive history of Paa Ya Paa before we all broke for a very hearty lunch.

This well deserved break allowed the participants to interact on a more personal level as each discussed how they came to learn about the walk. ‘I got to know about the Walk by chance’ said Daniel Gagnon, “it is a great first contact’’.

Elimu and Philda The Paa Ya Paa gardens are well manicured and are adorned with old and rusty sculptures. The grounds provided a good and spacious playing ground for our youngest participants aged between 5-9 years old. Located 15km, North East of Nairobi, Paa Ya Paa has some of the oldest and valuable art pieces by some of the more famous art personalities in Kenya today.

Mzee Samuel Wanjau, Kenya’s pioneer sculptor has his work as a permanent display in the grounds and the gallery. One of his memorable pieces is the famous ‘freedom fighter’ commissioned and abandoned by the client after it was completed way back in 1974.

The exhibition space which unlike the rest of the complex is full of natural light and adorned with paintings of both the older artists and the upcoming artists such as Jak Katarikawe, Joel Oswaggo, Elijah Ogira, Yassir Ali to Maryanne Muthoni.

Gallery Walk Paa Elimu has an ancient Printing press that caught the eyes of Thom Ogonga who is a wood-cut print maker. A conversation on how to organise a print workshop at the place soon erupted. Amongst other interesting things were the old ceramic works that were salvaged from the 1998 fire.

They seemed to have triumphed over the flames and are now well displayed in the foyer. Currently the space is accommodating 2 Ugandan artists working on ceramics. To the participants Paa ya Paa was ‘too hidden, I would never have known it existed.’ said Sultan Aganyanya, a student at Buru Buru institute of fine art.

“Here at Paa Ya Paa we do not say goodbye, because to utter that word is evoking a sense of good riddance. But we want you to come again and enjoy this facility with us over and over again, so we say we shall meet again”. These were Elimu’s words to us as we left the original home of contemporary visual art in Kenya.

Gallery Walk Rosemary Karuga Final destination was the Green Art Sculpture Park, in Kitusuru. The curator Elijah Ogira had been anxious to meet his visitors. Being a fairly new place it was not a surprise when we suggested someone meets us at the roadside. ’I live in this neighborhood, and I have never known this place existed’ said Stephanie Thompson. Elijah was elated by the number of visitors who came.

At the Green Art Sculpture Park we found sculptors at work. Various sculptures in wood dotted the grounds. The artists working on the grounds come from as far as Tanzania and have found a home where they can work and share their skills with others. They hope that the sculpture park will garner enough publicity to enable them market their work.

The gallery walk ended with a trip back to the city center and to our premises at Chester House. AfricanColours Gallery Walk is a journey, indeed to remember.

The next Gallery Walk is scheduled for the 4th of August 2007 where we anticipate an even larger group to take yet one more journey through art with us.

Posted By: African Colours

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