Modern & Classic-vol.6

The Symbolism of Nairobi

When one takes a walk on Kenyatta Avenue,one will notice some two monuments on the roads facing opposite each other.
On the left hand side,one can see the African soldiers monument.On the right hand side,one can see the White soldiers monument.
Now,if Kenyatta was the first President in independent Kenya and Barack Obama the First Black president of the US,then don't you think Nairobi and it's streets have global significance?
When I was sketching the artwork below,I was talking about this symbolism.

Modern & Classic-vol.5

The Symbolism of Nairobi

The symbolism of Nairobi as a capital city starts at the KICC(Kenyatta International Conference Centre)grounds combined with the statue of the founding President(Mzee Jomo Kenyatta) and City Hall way.
The direction in which the statue faces is towards Parliament buildings.It relates in the same manner as the City Hall relates with the Kenya National Archives(which is on Moi Avenue).
Moi Avenue as a major road in the city,intersects with Kenyatta Avenue on which historically significant buildings and statues are located.
Kenyatta Avenue as another major road intersects with Uhuru Highway which passes behind Parliament buildings towards the War memorial cemetery.
Harambee Avenue as a government road links Moi Avenue with Uhuru Highway.It is then intersected by Parliament Road which connects with City Hall way.
Other than this,Parliament buildings as a historic site with global significance(due to the Pan African political movement),is full of symbolism.
The first thing one notices,is the huge star at the entrance followed by the twelve figures on the buildings' architecture.
When one decides to sketch the roads of City Hall way,Harambee Avenue,Moi Avenue and Parliament Road,they form a square like shape and so is the statue of the first president in relation with City Hall which forms an "L" like shape.
If one takes time to connect all this historic sites and roads,they form some geometric like shapes.

About me and my sites

Dear Reader,

It has come to my attention that some people are spreading lies around about my sites and their content.
I don't make profit from my blogging neither do I trade off information on selfish gains.
MOST of the photos and work in my sites is 95% mine and comes from a God given gift.
The other stuff and work comes from my friends who I ask permission from them before I post.
Am not a hacker nor a University professor.Am a young,simple African artist who is trying to discover the truth.
The truth about myself,my surroundings,my history and my future.
With this open letter I hope to clear the air and set issues straight.

Yours, Taurus.

Kinyozi art

Kinyozi art or barber shop art, has close links with matatu art.Entrepreneurs decorate and paint their shops with bright colours to attract customers.
At the barber shop, guys meet and talk about current affairs and other issues.
The art work above was done by Nozi and Aro (some of my neighbourhood artist friends.)
They can do signs and decorate Salons also.

Modern & Classic

Nairobi is a 'modern and classic' city in the sense that old and new buildings stand side by side.
A visitor can witness this by going for a walk along Kenyatta Avenue and Moi Avenue.
Classic buildings usually have the year of completion written at the entrance or near the roofs.
This date back to the colonial times.
Modern buildings on the other hand have a simple,Cubist style of architecture.
Now,comparing this facts with my work I can refer to Monet as a classic artist and Piet as a modern artist.
Neo-Plasticism can be viewed as a reincarnation of Impressionism.
Monet used brilliant colours (primary colours)in his work while Piet used primary colours with a bit of black & white.
So combining this with African colours I got the following pieces.

Early post/ Market day

If one decides to compare market scenes of the developed countries with those of developing countries,you will notice the huge difference.

African soldiers

In art history, we often hear of the French Zouaves but not the British Kings African Rifles(KAR).
Creativity is entangled with warfare during the WW1 and WW2 periods.
Apart from North Africans,East Africans also participated in the world wars.Most of the KARs were Africans and they were killed in large numbers since they were usually placed at the front line.
The epitaph under this monument is written in English, Arabic and Swahili.The writings on it show how in contempt Africans were looked upon.
By referring to people as "Arms and Legs" is not right.It's a great wonder that no one has ever complained about this issue and yet we have "intellectual" world war historians around.
Notable servicemen included Hussein Onyango Obama (the US Presidents' paternal grandfather) and "General China" who later became a freedom fighter.