Photo Exhibition: I am 20 Years Old in My Country, Nov. 3-30 2012 @ Alliance

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In 2010, Alliance Française de Nairobi registered Kenya in the first international photography competition launched by the Foundation Alliance Française on the theme ‘J’ai 20 ans dans mon pays’ (I am 20 yrs old in my country).

1400 amateurs from 60 different countries participated and submitted their most beautiful photos on the suject. Selected first at the local level across the 98 participating Alliances Françaises, then at the international level by a professional jury, the best photographs make up this exhibition on the youth of the world. The exhibition was first presented in France then in the United States, South Africa, India and China. It regroups the work of 26 finalists from the around the world.

Don’t miss this exhibition that reveals a new vision of the youth of the world and includes the work of James Otieno, the winner from Kenya.

International Photo Competition by Alliance Française Foundation, Until Jan. 11 2013

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The Alliance Française Foundation invites entries from amateur photographers for the 3rd edition of the International Photo Competition.

This year’s theme is ‘Trades of the World’. The objective is to beautifully capture men and women going about their daily lives, engaged in the variety of extraordinary trades to be found around the world.

You have until 11th January 2013 (midnight) to send in your photographs with a chance of winning a trip to Paris, exhibiting your work in a Parisian gallery and having your photographs published in specialized Arts and Photography publications.

For more information visit: http://www.afkenya.or.ke

Installation: Hip-Hop is Dead by Oliver Okoth, Nov. 8-31 2012 @ National Museum

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Dates: November 3-31, 2012
Venue: Creativity Gallery, National Museum
Entry: Museum Rates Apply

When you turn on the radio and hip-hop tunes in, do you think music or din? That is the point that Victor Okoth addresses as he takes us on a musical art journey with striking compositions and installations motivated by hip-hop sounds and lyrics.

The main message in this exhibition, which resonates with American rapper Nas eighth studio album Hip-Hop Is Dead, is that whereas original hip-hop had deep messages that were intended by marginal black youth to shed light on contemporary politics, history, and race, today’s hip hop is caught in fierce crosswinds of vulgarism, bling-bling materialism and violence.

Hip-Hop is important to Okoth precisely because American hip hop artists are to some extend responsible for influencing social behaviour of Kenyan youth. And that is what provoked him to use his artistic expression to analyze hip-hop.
The exhibition begins by highlighting what Okoth sees as good hip-hop and ends with a dramatic installation of a shooting ring.

Exhibition: Life Expression by Joseph Cartoon, Nov. 3-31 2012 @ National Museum

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Dates: November 3-31, 2012
Venue: Creativity Gallery, National Museum
Entry: Museum Rates Apply

About Joseph Cartoon
Since selling his first piece in 1994 to Gallery Watatu, one of the earliest & most prestigious galleries of the time, Kenyan artist Cartoon (Joseph Njuguna) has participated in numerous group exhibitions and solo shows in East Africa, USA, Canada, France, Germany, Denmark, Japan, and Korea among other countries.

Some of his achievements include appearing on the cover of Contemporary African Art, a prestigious annual catalogue on Contemporary Art in Africa (1999) and winning the Royal Oversees League Award (2001, as well as being the only nominee from Africa). The latter award earned him a 2 year residency in the UK after which he continued to participate in local and world art projects that have seen him become one of the most collected artists in Kenya.

The powerful interplay of symbolism and colour is outstanding in Cartoon’s art that mainly features the traditional African woman, folk tales and daily aspects of the African family. Other outstanding features are mushrooms indicating the rich highlands where he was born and a chameleon acknowledging ever changing times.

Cartoon is married with two boys and lives and paints in Nairobi.

DebeDebe Drum Circle, Nov. 4 2012 @ Arboretum

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DATE/TIME:
Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012
2pm to 7pm
Arboretum Park

STRUCTURE:
We will have three (3) different sets between 2pm and 7pm, each with its own teaching focus:

Set 1: 2pm – 4pm: Warm up & Basics
Set 2: 4:00pm – 5:30pm: Learning new Rhythms
Set 3: 5:30pm – 7pm: Applying Rhythms & Jam Session

If you are serious about learning to drum, please come to all three! If you would simply like to relax, hangout, play the drums and spontaneously jam for a while, come whenever’s most convenient for you!
Hosted by Kenya’s Top 3 Drummers!

ADMISSION:
By Donation (Suggested 500 Ksh.)
No One Turned Away!

DIRECTIONS:
Enter the main gate of Arboretum Park, walk 2-3 mins on the main pathway, you will see us on the grass on the left hand side! (Call: 0706522640 if you can’t find us).

FOOD / DRINKS:
Bring your own and/or share with everyone! (We may bring extra;)

See you there!

Exhibition: Ordinary People, Ordinary Politics by Nyawanda, Nov 8-16 2012 @ Nairobi National Museum

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Moses Nyawanda
Moses Nyawanda is a painter who works in series says, “Most of my pieces are urban-based and so I call them “The Urban Survival Syndrome.” to justify my characters’ need to possess extraordinary instincts in order to survive in this “Man Eat Man society” we find ourselves involuntarily into. I also try to pre-empt the notion that extraordinary people cannot do ordinary tasks. Often, this is called humility.

The political subjects wear animal faces, Nyawanda’s way of depicting greed. He calls the moments “The Gray Areas” because the compositions are always hinged between an incident which has happened and one about to happen.

Nyawanda, considers this to be the defining moment where the characters get to make a choice whether to go on to the next stage or not. Ultimately though, it is upon the viewer, to visualize what happens before and after the painting is done.

The exhibition also features sculptures by Michael Dete.