Patrick Mukabi News Today

Michael Nyerere sold coffee and maandazi until art opened doors

The Kenyan art world literally exploded in 2022 as artists were keen to come out in full force after doing time under the Covid-19 lockdown.

Now is the time to make one’s way to One Off Gallery as it has become a delightfully crowded domain filled with a vast and varied assortment of creative ideas.

Thadde Tewa had no idea he would find 44 wonderful women artists from all around the East African region to exhibit this week.

Jimmy Kitheka’s story is classic. A self-proclaimed self-taught artist, who never attended a formal art institution.

Joseph Mbatia aka ‘Bertiers’ has got to be one of Kenya’s most important artists.

The atmosphere was enriched by the gentle musical sounds of the singer, nyatiti-player Judith Bwire and her band.

His recent exhibition certainly had many stories to tell.

Young Kenyan women artists had a richly rewarding week at the Rika Artists Residency and Workshop run by Dream Cona.

Even before he started painting shoes on canvas or drawing them with charcoal on straw paper or spray-painted them on stone walls, he was painting colourful graffiti designs of people’s walking...