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Simultaneous Exhibitions: ‘When I Think of My Mum’ by Mika Obanda & ‘An Exhibition of Wooden Sculpture’ by Baldy Osborne, May 27 – Jun. 18 2023 @ One Off Contemporary Art Gallery.
Opening: May 27, 2023
Venue: One Off Contemporary Art Gallery
Time: Noon – 4 PM
Until June 18, 2023.
About
One Off Contemporary Art Gallery is delighted to be hosting Mika Obanda’s first solo show featuring a narrative in the form of a letter to his Mother, depicted in painstaking eggshell mosaic. The works offer a charming record of everyday life, in and around his home area. An early distinction for Obanda was having one of his works chosen by the GoDown Art Centre team for presentation to Dr. Jill Biden on her recent visit to Nairobi.
In the Loft Gallery, we will host another exhibition of impressive wood sculptures by Baldy Osborne. The workmanship and finish on these pieces is extraordinary and this exhibition offers collectors a chance to pick up some beautiful three dimensional pieces at a very fair price.
Play/Performance: Supernova by Martin Kigondu, May 31 2023 @ the Kenya National Theatre.
Date: Wednesday 31st, May, 2023
Venue: the Kenya National Theatre
Time: 7 PM
Advance Tickets: KES 1,200/- Solo and KES 2,100 Double (by May 27, 2023)
Synopsis:
SUPERNOVA is an Award winning one person stage performance written and performed by Kenyan actor, writer and director – Martin Kigondu.
The play follows a popular radio presenter on a short leave to attend a personal emergency. Frank – played by Kigondu, is a man sieving through a love that was, could have been and is, while chasing the highs that come with a busy career and the lows that are survived often in silence. Exploring themes around ambition, love, grief, masculinity, solitude, family and mental fortitude with both heart and wit, the play spotlights the headspace of man in particular urban isolation. Frank’s account weaves in other characters and perspectives in the 85 minute intimate and forthright performance, giving the actor the canvas for a tapestry of different personas and emotions.
A pleasurable and poignant watch with Kigondu’s signature profoundness and warmth – in his writing as in his performance. The play won Best Actor in a Solo Performance, Best Playwright and Best Sound Design at the Kenya Theatre Awards 2023.
“Kigondu gives a masterful performance” Business Daily.
“Kigondu must be one of (if not the) finest character actors in Kenya” – Kenya Arts Review (2022).
After having its Victory Lap tour across counties this May, SUPERNOVA will close with a ONE NIGHT ONLY performance in Nairobi at The Kenya National Theatre, main auditorium on Wednesday 31st MAY (Madaraka Day Eve).
This follows the tour that saw Prevail Presents Company stage Supernova in Mombasa at The Little Theatre Club on Sat 13th May, in Nanyuki at Le Rustique on Sun 21st May, in Nakuru on Friday the 26th of May at the Nakuru Players Theatre and in Eldoret at the KVDA Auditorium on Sun 28th of May, 2023.
It had previously done a run in Nairobi and is gearing up for an East African tour in the coming months.
Screening: Lusophone Week ~ A Week of Cinema from the Portuguese Speaking World, May 17-18 2023 @ Chandaria Auditorium, University of Nairobi.
Dates: May 17-18, 2023
Venue: Chandaria Auditorium, University of Nairobi
Time: from 4 PM
Entry: Free
Exhibition: Parallel Perspectives, May 10-22 2023 @ the Village Market.
Dates: May 10-22, 2023
Venue: the Village Market
An Exhibition by Mukuru Art Collective Based Artists.
Arthur Firmin, “For the Love of Kenya” Photographic Exhibition, May 10-28 2023 @ Alliance Française.
Opening: May 10, 2023
Venue: Alliance Française Nairobi
Time: 6:30pm
Dates: Until May 28, 2023
About
Who was Arthur Firmin? Shel Arensen, Founder and Editor of the Old Africa magazine, which publishes stories and photos from East Africa’s past, will give a presentation on the life and work of Arthur Firmin before the official opening of this photo exhibition.
Fundraiser: Preserving Coastal Music Heritage, May 9 2023 @ the Santuri Salon – Westlands.
Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2023
Venue: the Santuri Salon
Time: 6.30-9 p.m.
Tickets: KES 2,000/-
Ticket link: https://mookh.com/event/fundraiser-preserving-coastal-music-heritage/.
About
From the late 1960s to 2022 musicians from the East African coast recorded at ‘Mbwana Radio Service’ in Mombasa’s Old Town. Some of the music styles in the catalogue are taarab, mwanzele, kayamba or gozi. On the roster of the cassette label were stars like Zuhura Swaleh, Maulidi Juma, and Nyerere wa Konde. At the end of last year the studio and shop closed its doors permanently but the cassettes still exist albeit in a precarious state. That’s why we need your support in preserving the diverse collection!Come down to the event which will feature music and conversations celebrating the rich heritage, addressing current issues and exploring possible futures.
All proceeds go to the preservation initiative.
In conversation will be:
Nassoro Mwinyi, custodian of the collection
Prof. Mwenda Ntarangwi, cultural anthropologist
Wairimũ Nduba, founder of Wer Jokenya [twitter instagram: @werjokenya].
Date: 9 May 2023, 6.30 – 9 p.m.
Address: Santuri Salon [https://santuri.org/Contact-Us], The Mall (basement), Ring Road Parklands, Westlands, Nairobi
You can also send donations – without obtaining a ticket – to:
• Paybill – Santuri East Africa
Business no.: 4054299
Account: pwani
• Paypal
Santurieastafrica@gmail.com
Note that the capacity is limited so you are advised to book your ticket early.
The Museums Lab 2023: Kick-off Event, May 3 2023.
Date: May 3, 2023
Medium: Online / YouTube (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOp01XCzhf0)
Time: 6 PM
About
TheMuseumsLab is a platform for joint learning, unlearning, exchange and continuous education on the future of museums in both Africa & Europe.
It was jointly developed by several partners: the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin(MFN), the University of Applied Sciences Berlin (HTW), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the African consultancy group The Advisors.
In 2023 the programme is jointly curated by the National Museums of Kenya, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, the University of Nairobi, University of Applied Sciences Berlin, The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).
This year, TheMuseumsLab will start again with a Kick-off Event on May 3rd. During the event, there will be an introduction to this year’s programme, followed by a Keynote Speech by Aindrea Emelife, Curator, Modern and Contemporary at EMOWAA (Edo Museum of West African Art).
Event Information
- Wednesday May 3rd, 6-7.30 pm (EAT)
- Participation via YouTube livestream
- Event in English
- Moderator: Amira El Ahl
TheMuseumsLab is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (AA), the German Minister of State for Culture and the Media (BKM) as well as the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Exhibition: ‘Forever is Not Ours’ by Margaret Njeri Ngigi, Apr. 29 – May 21 2023 @ One Off Contemporary Art Gallery.
Opening: April 29, 2023
Venue: One Off Contemporary Art Gallery
Time: 12 Noon – 4 PM
Exhibitions Run: Until May 21, 2023
Gallery open:
Tuesday through Saturday, from 10am – 5:00pm
Sunday, from noon to – 5:00pm
Forever is Not Ours
One Off Contemporary Art Gallery is enormously proud to host a solo photographic exhibition by Margaret Ngigi. The artist is building a reputation for the initiation of visual conversations on taboo subjects and in this series of works, she explores the ticking clock which propels each of us towards an inevitable demise. The exaggerated expression in each pair of eyes, the emphasis on the placement of the hands, the carefully choreographed costume choices all enhance the narrative of disquiet. The striking portraits offer the audience much to reflect on.
Pop Up & Chill Handmaker’s Market, Apr. 30 2023 @ The Office Park Garden, Riverside Drive – Riverside.
Date & time: Sunday – April 30th, 10am to 6pm
Venue: The Office Park Garden, Riverside Drive – Riverside
Entry: KES 300. Free for kids under 12.
Facebook event page: https://fb.me/e/4fdCVObOk
About
Come shop from East Africa’s top designers & makers on Sunday, April 30th from 10am to 6pm at the Office Park grounds in Riverside on Riverside Drive for some of the best locally hand-made goods.
Our market brings together a selection of lovingly handmade clothing, leather goods, jewellery, furniture, home decor, art prints, healthy food, baked goods and much more.
The perfect place to shop mindfully and get great quality locally handmade goods from some of the best local brands.
The Domain by Tiago Guedes, Apr. 25 2023 @ Alliance Française Nairobi.
Date: April 25, 2023
Venue: Alliance Française Nairobi
Time: 6 PM
Entrance: Free
SYNOPSIS – The chronicle of a family that owns one of the largest estates in Europe, on the south bank of the River Tagus. The Domain delves deeply into the secrets of their homestead, portraying the historical, political, economic, and social life of Portugal, since the 1940s, through the Carnation Revolution to these days.
| 2019 | 2h 46min.
Presented by the Embassy of Portugal in Nairobi as part of the celebrations of April 25 (Freedom Day).
Screening: Shimoni by Angela Wamai, Apr. 24 2023 @ Alliance Française.
Date: April 24, 2023
Venue: Alliance Française
Time: 6 PM
Entry: Free (Prior Reservation Required. RSVP, Here – https://mookh.com/event/shimoni-the-pit-kenyan-premiere)
About | 2021 | 95 min.
It tells the story of a man at odds with his environment and at war with his inner demons. After being released from prison, Geoffrey is sent to the Kenyan village where he was raised. Formerly an English teacher, he is now forced to redirect his life in a community that he left behind, doing manual jobs that are alien to him.
Winner of the Bronze Stallion at the 2023 FESPACO (Pan-African Film & TV Festival)
Screening in the presence of the Director and the Film Crew.
Exhibition: Traceback by Muramuzi John Bosco (Uganda) & Sheila Bayley (Kenya), Apr. 22 – May 8 2023 @ Village Market – Rooftop.
Opening: April 22, 2023
Venue: Village Market – Rooftop
Time: 1-7 PM
Until: May 8, 2023
About
Traceback presents works that unravel truths about African culture, nature, and rural-urban societies majorly inspired by East Africa in relation to human psychology subtly intertwined with the artists’ culturally rich backgrounds and perspectives. The exhibition also expounds generally on social issues including migration (in an African context) and their impact on our behavior and culture.
Like computing, tracing back to your roots can be a continuous and sometimes uncomfortable process. Still, it is as vital as progression, especially because culture shock or loss is inevitable in the process of embracing modernization. Although with the two artists’ opinions, these twists and turns shape our path and journey to finding our true selves.
Curated by Thadde Tewa (of @tewasartgallery).
Horse Racing, Apr. 23 2023 @ Ngong Racecourse.
Date: April 23, 2023
Venue: Ngong Racecourse
Time: from 12 Noon
Entry: Adults KES 500/-, Students KES 50/- and Children Under 12 – Free
Exhibition: ‘Forgive Us For Our Skins’ by Sujay Shah, Apr. 19 – May 20 2023 @ Circle Art Gallery, Victoria Square – Riara Road.
Opening: April 19, 2023
Venue: Circle Art Gallery, Victoria Square – Riara Road
Time: from 6 PM
Until May 20, 2023
About
Raised in Kenya, Sujay Shah has experienced the intermingling of cultural ideologies, myths and histories. Shah is interested in how we can cope with colonial and cultural pasts, which are built into our surroundings.
In his recent paintings, Sujay deconstructs, satirises and critiques some of the harmful legacies of colonialism through the lens of big game trophy hunting. The presence of certain objects in Kenyan homes, country clubs and Safari lodges, such as skin rugs, animal parts and mounted animal heads serve as a haunting reminder of this violent history.
In the depicted fictitious dioramas and still lives, acts of brutality go side by side with luxury items such as Victorian objects, silverware, candelabra, and cabinets challenging the notions of what it means to be “civilised.” Intertwining horror, humour and surrealism, the exasperated animals are subjected to various states of disrespect, further undermining and trivialising the convoluted nature of these hunts.
Allusions are also made to early conservation practices that forcibly evicted people from their lands, recasting them as poachers, and equally absolving these hunters who treated Africa’s wilderness as theme parks. By portraying aspects of museum displays, these different moments are merged into a single image to suggest how the perception and romance of Africa, to the outside world, was fabricated, exoticized, and stereotyped. Images of which still perpetuate and haunt us today.
Sujay Shah is currently living and working in Kenya. He graduated with a B.F.A in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2013. After college, Sujay lived in New York, working as a studio assistant for the artists Paul Bloodgood and Anne Chu. His work has been exhibited in the US (Savannah, Georgia and New York) and France (Lacoste). His work is in the permanent collection of the Savannah College of Art and Design. In Kenya he has been in group exhibitions at the Kenya Art Fair, If Not Now at the Cave Bureau, and I Will See What I Want To See at Circle Art Agency. In 2022, he was awarded a Venice travel fellowship by Wangechi Mutu Studio.
Out of Town: Amu Seafood Cuisine Festival, Apr. 23-24 2023 @ Lamu Seafront Btwn KPLC & Donkey Sanctuary.
Dates: April 23-24, 2023
Venue: Lamu Seafront Btwn KPLC & Donkey Sanctuary.
Time: 5-11 PM
Exhibition by James Mutugi, Steve Okuku & Morris Mukundi, Apr. 14 – May 7 2023 @ Creativity Gallery – Nairobi National Museum.
Dates: April 14 – May 7, 2023
Venue: Creativity Gallery, Nairobi National Museum
Art Affair ’23 by One Off, Mar. 31 – Apr. 8 2023 @ One Off Contemporary Art Gallery.
Opening: March 31, 2023
Venue: One Off
Time: from 4 PM
Entrance: KES 500/- (Incl. Welcome Drink)
Until April 8, 2023
Everything KES 100,000/- and below.
‘Looking Beyond’ Satellite Image Exhibition, Mar. 31 2023 @ Creativity Gallery, Nairobi National Museum.
Opening: March 31, 2023
Venue: Nairobi National Museum
Time: from 6 PM
Entry: Free (Prior Registration Required)
About
“Looking Beyond” is an exhibition of satellite images curated by Filippo Maggia, promoted by the Italian ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency and Telespazio/e-GEOS.
Through a series of images acquired by the Italian COSMO-SkyMed satellite constellation owned by ASI and the Italian Ministry of Defence, the project offers an opportunity to reflect on the contribution of satellite technologies to Earth observation, the promotion of sustainable development and the protection of natural and cultural heritage.
In order to attend the event on Friday 31st March, it is necessary to register by 29/3 by sending a confirmation email to Italian Cultural Centre, Nairobi.
Further, we remind that on all other days it is possible to visit the exhibition by purchasing a regular museum entrance ticket.
Exhibition: ‘Before Line / After Image’ by Jackie Karuti, Mar. 29 – Apr. 26 2023 @ Goethe Institut Nairobi.
Opening: March 29, 2023
Venue: Goethe Institut Nairobi
Time: 6 PM
Artist Talk: April 13, 2023 at 6 PM
Until April 26, 2023
Exhibition: ‘Fantaisies Humaines’ by Dominque Zinkpé, Mar. 29 – Apr. 6 2023 @ Alliance Française.
Opening: March 29, 2023
Venue: Alliance Française
Time: 6 PM
Until April 6, 2023
The Art of Dominque Zinkpé
Dominique Zinkpè, from the Republic of Benin, is arguably one of the most recognisable African contemporary artists. He is a versatile self-taught artist, producing drawings, paintings, sculptures, and installations. His vivid paintings and drawings are both intimate and revealing, often denouncing injustice and hypocrisy, and steeped in Benin’s rich history, culture, and spirituality, especially voodoo.
NCAI Presents KASPALE by Syowia Kyambi, Mar. 23 – Jun. 30 2023 @ NCAI – Rosslyn Riviera Mall.
Opening Date: March 23, 2023
Venue: NCAI, Rosslyn Riviera Mall
Time: 5-8 PM
To attend, signup here – https://artsvp.com/b4c04b
On Until June 30, 2023
About
KASPALE, a solo exhibition by Syowia Kyambi, opens on Thursday, 23rd March 2023 at 5pm.
Kaspale is a trickster character created by Kyambi to intervene in situations where the burden of often violent histories has rendered them difficult to articulate and engage with.
Showcase Wednesday – La Francophonie Edition ft. Syssi Mananga & DJ KasbaH, Mar. 22 2023 @ Alliance Française.
Date: March 22, 2023
Venue: Alliance Française
Time: from 7 PM
Entry: Free
About
Syssi Mananga
With a cultural identity split between Africa and Europe, Syssi Mananga’s music is like the wind (mopepe in Lingala) cross-bordered and fluid. It can’t be caged in or boxed in a single genre. Reflecting my mixed heritage, my musical signature is a fusion of styles, at the crossroads of Kongo rhythms, folk, jazz and pop.
DJ KasbaH
The concert will be followed by a live DJ set with DJ KasbaH. KasbaH is a DJ, producer and music explorer. Through his Trans Africa Airlines, Kasbah’s music will have you on your feet with a musical panorama of the Francophone world.
Exhibition: The Last Born of Melody by Nega Yilma (from Ethiopia), Mar. 11 – Apr. 7 2023 @ Banana Hill Art Gallery.
Dates: March 11 – April 7, 2023
Venue: Banana Hill Art Gallery
About
Experience the vibrant and culturally-rich art exhibition, “The Last Born of Melody” by Ethiopian artist Nega Yilma, on display from March 11 – 7 April, 2023 at the Banana Hill Art Gallery.
Yilma’s intricate patterns and traditional motifs bring to life themes of identity and history.
the Pio Gama Pinto Exhibition, Mar. 5 – May 31 2023 @ the Nairobi Gallery – CBD.
Opening: March 5, 2023
Venue: the Nairobi Gallery
Time: from 3 PM
Dates: Until May 31, 2023
Entry: Museum Rates Apply
About
Step into history and celebrate the life of a true Kenyan hero #PioGamaPinto – Independent Kenya’s first martyr.
Exhibition: ‘Double Perspectives’ by Adam Masava & Coster Ojwang’, Mar. 8-29 2023 @ Garden Lounge Gallery, Next to NCBA Bank – Village Market.
Dates: March 8-29, 2023
Venue: Garden Lounge Gallery, Next to NCBA Bank – Village Market
Time: 9 am – 6 pm
Exhibition: Her Story by Over 30 Women Artists, Mar. 6-26 2023 @ Alliance Française.
Dates: March 6-26, 2023
Venue: Alliance Française
About An exhibition of artworks by over 30 women artists that are inspiring, thought-provoking, and a showcase of achievement. #IWD2023
Matteo Di Leonardo Kenyan Tour: Concert Schedule for Nairobi with Mackinley, Jo_G and Mike Onyie, Feb. 16-17 2023 @ Geco Café & Shamba Café.
Date & time: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Geco Café, Mbaazi Road
Free admission
Date & time: Friday Feb. 17, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Shamba Cafe (Loresho Ridge)
Free admission
About
The Italian Cultural Institute in Nairobi has the pleasure of inviting you to two concerts to be held by Italian guitarist Matteo Di Leonardo in Nairobi together with Mackinley (Trumpet), Jo_G (Drums) and Onyie (Bass) on 16th and 17th February, and two further concerts, with the Mijikenda Jazz Band in Watamu and Malindi on 20th and 21st February (schedule below).
Matteo Di Leonardo (1993) is a jazz guitarist born and raised in Teramo, Italy. After completing his studies at the Brussels Conservatory, he began his artistic career that led him to perform in several countries in Europe (Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland), as well as in Africa (Kenya). In 2019 he released the album “Kabisa,” in collaboration with some of Kenya’s best jazz musicians, including Juma Tutu and Mackinley Mutsembi.CONCERT SCHEDULE FOR WATAMU AND MALINDI:
- Monday, Feb. 20th at 7.00pm: MATTEO DI LEONARDO with the MIJIKENDA JAZZ BAND
Sunset Beach Watamu– Free admission
- Tuesday, Feb. 21st at 7.00pm: MATTEO DI LEONARDO with the MIJIKENDA JAZZ BAND
Barbar Malindi – Free admission
Exhibition: Sex & The City V by Michael Soi and Thom Ogonga, Feb. 15-28 2023 @ Alliance Française.
Dates: February 15-28, 2023
Venue: Alliance Française
About
Sex & The City V is a continued exploration of the city’s controversial sex industry. Allowing for sometimes uncomfortable musings about personal relations between consenting adults.
The exhibition portrays snapshots of a lifestyle that is generally accepted but deemed immoral.
It provokes us to contemplate the depths beneath the images, parody of social realities in the space we live in – Nairobi, without glorifying promiscuity.
Exhibition: Digital Informalities, Feb. 10-26 2023 @ Wajukuu Arts Collective, Mukuru Lunga Lunga.
Opening: February 10, 2023
Venue: Wajukuu Arts Collective, Mukuru Lunga Lunga
Time: 3 PM Dates:
Until February 26, 2023
About
A contemporary art exhibition about the forms of security, reciprocity and trust necessary for a community to thrive in a world marked by digitalization.
An exhibition with artists; Shabu Mwangi (KEN), Joan Otieno (KEN), Mounir Ayoub (TUN, CH), Flurina Rothenberger (CH), Ngugi Waweru (KEN), Nabalayo (KEN), Wanjiru Ngure (KEN) and Ronald Pizzoferrato (VEN).
A Matza project curated by Anja Wyden Guelpa and Séverin Guelpa.
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