My work takes a psychological look into everyday life and its relative resemblance to people everywhere around the globe. I draw inspiration from my social and political environment. I want the audience to react to what they see and feel when they look at the work be it by passionately liking the art or hating it. The reaction itself will have achieved the purpose the art work was created for. The work is semi abstract rendering life as i see it rather than how it really is as a comparative to any environment on the globe.
The paintings challenge one to look beyond the surface through the exposure of their hidden stories. Using a process of simultaneous multiplicities the images play with the processes of revealing and concealing. Through the use of layering and texture in the paintings each fresh thought and new ideas grows off the previous both literally and metaphorically. The use of typography has been key texts lifted from magazines novels and newspapers with their self reflective prose to explore ideas such as vanity humanity adaptation memories and transitions.
The contrast between abstraction, text, montage and layering and the image of the face on several of my paintings is to explore the notion of the self through the perception of the other. The face as the final layer gives something recognizable to the viewer, a point of clear identification rooting the play of words and ideas in the physical human form and our most immediate expression of the self, the face.
Question from GOCAA Admin:
1. When did you start to paint/draw/sculpt etc? I would say after I graduated from college
2. What would you call your style? I incorporate the figure in my work I think I would say am a semi abstract artist using mixed media text montage in the work.
3. Do you have formalistic training? Yes I graduated from an art institute in 2000.
4. What inspired your works? Everyday life I believe as an artist our external environment is the greatest influence of my work.
5. Is there an artist that you relate to? I cannot say relate but artists whose works I admire yes there are a few based here in Kenya e.g. Richard Kimathi, Peterson Kamwathi, among others I believe their work is versatile its constantly changing and an artist’s cannot afford to be complacent after all as human beings we are constantly changing and art being an extension of oneself then it should always be fresh.
6. How do you feel when people interpret your artwork differently? An artwork is always subject to different interpretations depending on the recipient as an artist after creating a work of art one has to be prepared to people either liking or hating the work.
7. What is your favorite piece and why? Ageless and carcass is my favorite piece (it’s already in the website)it is a painting done on the series of identity or immortality. The question of who we are is
8.What advice do you have for aspiring artists? There is nothing more fulfilling than when one is creating an artwork.
9. What other talents do you have?
10. What art web sites do you frequent? I visit, gocaa that’s a given, artdaily, transartists, creative Africa network( for information on art residencies workshops grants competitions etc) for an artist to develop their career I believe its imperative with keeping up with what is happening in the art world regardless of whether African art is appreciated or not.
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