Prehistory and traditions
The origins of man can be discovered on the shores of Lake Turkana, at the Koobi Fora archaeological site. The many artefacts on display in the museum at the "cradle of mankind", where Lucy lived, trace the evolution of our most ancient ancestors. In this arid space, major discoveries have revolutionized our knowledge of the daily lives of the first representatives of the human species. Lake Turkana is something of a paleontologist's Eden. The world's first carved stone workshop was unearthed on its shores. The Lokalalei site has revealed no fewer than 2,000 remains dating back 3 million years. Among the finds are knives, believed to be the oldest stone tools ever discovered.
To admire cave art, visit the Kwitone site. Here, paintings dating back 18,000 years stretch over some 40 metres. Between the series of white and black spirals, glowing coils evoke the course of the sun, from sunrise to sunset. Attributed to the pygmies (Twa), these works of art are believed by the locals to have supernatural powers. The Kenyan island of Mfangano, on Lake Victoria, is home to other Twa creations. The 40 sacred sites scattered across the island have the primary function of ensuring the link between man and the divine. The Twa pictorial language is dominated by concentric circles and three colors: black, white and red.
Straddling Kenya and Tanzania, the Maasai people have been perpetuating the tradition of ornamentation for several hundred years. The history of the art of body adornment is still poorly understood. It takes the form of objects symbolizing social status (ritual masks, jewelry, belts, etc.) or directly on the skin. Scarifications emphasize the beauty of a physical detail, such as the eyes. This "direct" or body art makes use of all the materials available in the environment. Let's not forget that what we call African art includes objects that were not originally conceived as artistic creations. Although the sculptor's intention was to produce a harmonious work of art, the masks had above all a spiritual, social or political significance. Their function was to maintain the balance and survival of society.
Outside the Nairobi National Museum, a bronze sculpture depicts the evolution of the human species in four stages. Inside, the museum showcases all Kenyan peoples and their arts, prehistoric fossils and local flora and fauna. A must if you want to get to know Kenya.
From colonial art to the modern era
The encounter with European settlers had an impact on the Kenyan pictorial tradition. In contact with the Portuguese, sculpted portraits saw their features change. The nose became thinner and a beard was represented by rows of beads on certain sculptures. Beads, usually used by women to embellish elements of their finery, are now used as currency. Sculptors still do not sign their works, the collective taking precedence over the notion of the individual. In Mombasa, the Swahili culture born in the 2nd century was enriched by exchanges, which were more frequent in the port city. However, as the Swahili had been Islamized very early on, they had no recourse to images. Geometric motifs were repeated. The Muslim heritage is nevertheless nuanced with African elements. This mix can be seen in the Gedi ruins museum in Watamu, which accompanies the 12th-century village.
It was not until the 1960s that the first Kenyan art galleries saw the light of day, at the time of Independence (1963).
On the coast, the first gallery was the Diani Beach Art Gallery, featuring an extremely diverse collection of African and Kenyan art. Photographs, sculptures and paintings offer a vast panorama of contemporary art. A special feature of Mombasa is the Sand Art Museum, which showcases a natural form of sculpture: sand sculpture. Before leaving town, treat yourself to some unique souvenirs at the Coast Gallery of Arts. Located along the Nyali Links road, it features paintings accompanied by handcrafted frames in raw materials.
Emergence of the contemporary scene
Nairobi has established itself as the beating heart of Kenyan creativity for several decades. The capital city has become an anchor point for the continent's population fleeing conflict, and its cultural scene has been enriched by artists such as Sudanese artist Eltayeb Dawelbait, who left in search of a more favorable environment to express his talent. The 1960s saw the first Kenyan art galleries spring up in the center of the capital, close to hotels and retail outlets. One of the pioneers was the Paa Ya Paa Arts Gallery, which burned to the ground in 1997 before being reborn as a multi-disciplinary art venue. At the same time, the Watatu Gallery, under the leadership of Ruth Shaffner, became the first to promote contemporary art in Kenya by defending colorful scenes created by self-taught artists. Places such as the Nairobi Museum, the Village Market and the Maison Française followed. Later, the RaMoMa (Rahimtulla Museum of Modern Art) stands out for its audacity, manifest in its collection of contemporary art.
A collaborative art
On this emerging scene, grouping together enables artists to exchange ideas and learn new techniques. The two most influential associations are the Ngecha Artists Association, named after the village of Ngecha, near Nairobi. Initially, the entire population played the game and experimented with all artistic disciplines, from sculpture to pottery. Activity declined around 2000, before moving to Banana Hill Studio, run by painter Shine Tani. Figurative art remains at the forefront: joyful slices of rural life and poignantly realistic scenes show various facets of Kenyan society. Among the workshop's graduates, Joseph Cartoon, King Dodge and Meek Gichugu have exhibited their work abroad.
More recently, the Kuona Trust association, located in the Nairobi Museum, is focusing on the professionalization of visual artists. Some thirty artists are being trained under the direction of Judy Ogana.
Leaders
The market is dominated by stereotypical paintings designed to please tourists. It shows an idealized Africa, soulless clichés. A number of personalities are wresting Kenyan painting away from this commercial style. The forerunner of Kenyan painting was actually born in Uganda (in 1940). Jak Katarikawe, nicknamed the "Chagall of East Africa", began his career as a self-taught artist in the 1970s. His tender style uses pastel tones, blurred shapes, cows and chickens. His softening, increasingly hazy motifs clearly brought him closer to abstraction at the turn of the century. Katarikawé exhibited all over the world.
The second major figure in contemporary art, Sane Wadu was born in Kenya in 1954. Also a poet and writer, his eccentricity sets him apart. In his early years, he painted in watercolors on fabric or plastic sheets, depicting the flora and fauna of his country. Later, he switched to oil on canvas to paint urban landscapes, which gradually became more abstract in the 1990s. Sane Wadu is now an international artist.
In a predominantly male art scene, a few women are pursuing successful careers, such as Rosemary Karuga (1928-2021). Trained at Makerere College's School of Fine Art, she won numerous awards and became a teacher. Rosemary skilfully switched from oil painting to collage to depict everyday life in her village or stories about animals.
The second generation of artists is led by painter and video artist Justus Kyalo. Born in 1972, he practices several disciplines: photography, illustration, the world of fashion and publishing intersect in his approach. His work includes large-scale frescoes in homage to women, sketches of dancers captured on film, and abstract, almost monochrome works painted on metal plates. In Nairobi, he exhibits at the Mam gallery and at Circle Art Gallery, which aims to be the premier exhibition venue in this part of the continent. It's true that since 2013, it has organized the major annual sale of East African art. Over time, the event has enabled the Kenyan capital to rise to the level of cities as renowned as Cape Town or Lagos in the cultural landscape.
Nowadays
Nairobi's vibrant energy remains somewhat chaotic. But some of the young local talents draw their inspiration from this disorder.
Wisetwo, a pioneer of street art in Central and East Africa, has gone far beyond the country's borders. Exhibited for the first time in France, he travels the world, mixing African culture, rhythms, codes, symbology, mystical objects and rituals in his colorful works. Graffiti is enjoying its heyday on the streets of Paris. Here, artists have been serving the community since the 1970s. They are seen as role models for the younger generation. Associations like TICAH are multiplying collective initiatives to enhance the urban landscape. Daddo also paints just about everywhere, but preferably with other graffiti artists, such as Ibra, and in collaboration with the Sanaa Center, which defends access to medical care for all.
On the buzzing Nairobi scene, artists of all disciplines meet at the GoDown Arts Centre and the Kuona Trust Art Centre in Nairobi. With their exhibition spaces and workshops, these are major meeting places for up-and-coming artists.
