Words and Pictures in Nairobi

This movement is one of the first in Kenya to have a strong following among the youth.It showcases both oral and visual art forms.

Foreign missions such as the British Council should be commended due to their constant support of such initiatives.

The only problem I have with the organizers of this underground society is that,they tend to focus more on the stage performances than on the visual works.

I recently attended one of their monthly events and managed to snap a few samples which I think looked interesting.

Third canvas

City Hall,Acrylics on canvas,20"x16".




'Buildings should breathe like we do.Give sight like our eyes do.They should look beautiful.How else can we be happy in them?'


-Africa Guide,1980.


Love for architecture is what drove me to paint this historic building.The design work looks similar to that of the New York Stock Exchange( click the Archives button on the right bar to view).

Second canvas

Untitled,Acrylics on canvas,20"x16".

Unlike the previous piece,this one tried to capture the feeling experienced in the morning hours.Notice the long shadow of the building on the right.

First canvas

Lonely street in Nairobi,Acrylics on canvas,20"x16".

In this painting,I wanted to bring out three aspects.The first being the semi-realism aspect;the second being the mood aspect,since I wanted to capture the feeling in relation to time and the third which brought out the African aspect through the use of browns and reds.

City statues

It's at the Jeevanjee Gardens that one finds this unique piece.Located between Moi Avenue and Muindi Mbingu St, the recreational park hosts a variety of statues.
What made me snap this one is the way the two figures join hands.It reminds one of the old kindergarten days.How kids used to play,especially girls.
Such efforts should be encouraged since they help promote art and inspire upcoming artists.
I wish every street in Nairobi had a statue or mosaic,it would boost the aesthetic appeal of the city.

Full Kipupwe

In the course of my quest to discover graffiti related artforms,I happened to come across this bold,fierce graffiti that was done on a wall of an abandoned house located just behind the Rahimtulla Towers.The place smelled of urine and garbage,but the artwork itself looked quite appealing.I don't know who did it but I think it was done by the WAPI guys.