Watatu Launches Affordable Art Week

Kenya Thu 16-12-2010

Watatu Launches Affordable Art Week
By Osei G Kofi | AfricanColours.com

Gallery Watatu | Photo by Andrew Njoroge | AfricanColours.com

As part of the campaign to nurture the next generation of art buyers, East Africa’s famed Gallery Watatu is putting on a week-long yuletide sale titled “Affordable Art” from December 17th to 24th at the Lonrho House showroom, Standard Street, Nairobi.

About a thousand mainly small-size art works are being offered from Ksh500 ($6) to Ksh8000 ($100). The pieces normally go for triple to ten times more. Varied genres and tastes are there, from figurative paintings to abstract expressions; from oil, acrylic, ink and watercolour to silk prints, stone and metal sculptures.

All the big names at the gallery have agreed to this one-off offer as goodwill and encouragement to get the young, as well as ordinary wananchi, to appreciate their work. The artists include Meek Gichugu, Wanyu Brush, Sane Wadu, Joseph Cartoon, Anabelle Wanjiku, Ssali Yusuf, Anwar Nakibinge, Jak Katarikawe, Tabitha wa Thuku and Sekajugo.

There’s an extra sweetener: “Any child below the age of 10 can select any piece, say how much he or she can afford - and take it home!” said Mutari Diawara, son of Watatu’s owner, Adama Diawara.

A section of the gallery remains open to patrons and cognoscenti for the normal price range.

Osei G Kofi, Art Africa Investment, Geneva

Posted By: Hirum Ndungu

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Your Comments

margaretta wa gacheru: How fabulous to now have Osei Kofi be a regular contributor to www.african colours. No problem that Osei has special affinity for Gallery Watatu. We hope he can revive the flagging Watatu, and it looks like he is making a good start of it. Now he needs to revive Watatu as an exhibition site, especially now that Nairobi' other great art institution, RaMoMA Museum has 'passed on.' Now is the time when East African artists need to see a full blown revival of Watatu and i hope Osei will pull that one off. Congrats! and happy holidays!

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