Exhibition: Of Ships Passing in the Night, Apr. 27 – May 27 2016 @ Goethe Institut & Alliance Française

“Of Ships Passing in the Night” is an art and photo exhibition which addresses the topic of migration and refuge.

Opening: Wednesday 27th April 2016, 6.30 pm
Exhibition Dates: Thursday 28th April to Friday 27th May 2016
Venue: Alliance Française and Goethe Institut
Admission: Free

About
Voluntary and forced mass movements have been some of the major phenomena of the last 100 years. Difficult realities and the aspiration towards a better future have compelled human beings to make the dicult decision to move elsewhere. Artists in most societies have created works that address not only the physicality of displacement but also the changes that emerge as a result of migration. Some of these changes are the trauma of forced displacement, the adjustment to new
influences and cultures, the plight of those left behind and the universal desire for holistic progress.

A number of Kenyan artists have interrogated the displacement of mankind in their work. Their approaches to this issue are diverse, ranging from personal and institutional rituals of travel to the anatomy of those trapped in a form of no-man’s land.

This exhibition provides a tiny snippet into some of the artistic engagements around the issue of ‘Migrations and Refugees’ taking place within Kenya. A number of additional practitioners who enrich this exhibition are currently classi ed as refugees. The exhibition has been developed by Peterson Kamwathi, assisted by Thom Ogonga.

Exhibiting Artists: Mugisho Abija, Hassan Abdirahman Barre, Muktar Bashir, Mahet Ecubay, Jackie Karuti, Kivuthi Mbuno, Noor Ali Mudey, Patrick Mukabi, Alpha Mukange Mukangala, Shabu Mwangi, Longinos Nagila, Martin Onyis, Ray Piwi, Michael Soi, Koang Thakiy Stephena, Feleke Gebryes Tariku, Hamwenayo Vivier Tresor and Willy Wambugu.

Photo exhibition
The exhibition uses images from Agence France Presse (AFP), Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) and Kenyan photographers to show the varying experiences of refugees in France, Germany and Kenya. The images show differing attitudes in and approaches by these countries in their eorts to control, embrace and facilitate the lives of refugees. The exhibition has been curated by Carl de Souza (AFP Chief Photographer, East Africa), Kirsten Milhan (Freelance Africa Correspondent, FOCUS-Magazine) and Thomas Mukoya (Kenya Reuters Photographer).