Out of Town/Festival: The 5th Lake Turkana Festival, May 18-20 2012 @ Loyangalani-Turkana

by with No Comment art exhibitsfestivalout of town


Turkana has been in the news lately for all the right reasons! So here is a perfect excuse for you to visit this region.

The 5th Lake Turkana Festival, which will take place from 18th to 20th May 2012 on the shores of the world famous Lake Turkana, the so-called Jade Lake.

The Lake Turkana Festival is organised jointly by the German Embassy, the National Museums of Nairobi, Private Safaris and the local community of Loiyangalani and sponsored by various institutions and companies. The aim of this event, which has taken place every year since 2008, is to promote peace and cultural understanding among the local communities. The Lake Turkana Festival not only became famous for its colourful, stirring and moving music performances, sports events and arts exhibitions but also won the hearts of locals and politicians and support of several companies, NGOs and foreign embassies for its ability to address and promote issues relating to the sustainable development of the Turkana region.

It may sound like light culture entertainment but the event serves a deeper purpose: the Lake Turkana Festival gives the region with its lack of infrastructure, fights among ethnic communities and environmental challenges an opportunity for cross-cultural interaction and reconciliation. This is a chance for both, Kenyans as well as Expatriates, to experience the living conditions and fascinating culture of the ten participating tribes.

Transport is either by car convoy or by plane. The road travel option will take visitors on a magical journey across Kenya, from Nairobi to Loyangalani. As the convoy will progress through the changing landscapes, the accompanying and highly knowledgeable expert staff of the National Museums of Kenya will explain the different cultural habits and unique features of the communities along the way.

Be advised that accomodation space is limited and already starting to be filled.

Travel details, programme and other information on the Festival can be found on the official website.

Explore this unique territory and be a witness of the terrific performances and demonstrations of ten different ethnic communities!

This is truly the adventure of a life time!

Photographic Exhibition: Kusi na Kaskazi by Beat Presser, May 8-18 2012 @ Alliance Francaise

by with No Comment art exhibits

The Embassy of Switzerland presents a photographic exhibition entitled ‘Kusi na Kaskazi’ by the well-known Swiss photographer, Beat Presser.  These photographs are from his recently published book entitled   ‘Dhau –  Beatus Piratus auf Sinbads spuren  (Travelling by dhow on Sinbad’s tracks). A photographic essay on the traditional sailing vessels along the East African Coast.  The exhibition will also be shown at the Alliance Française de Mombasa from 25 May to 11 June.

Event: A Very Crafty Craft Fair, May 5 2012 @Spring Valley

by with No Comment art exhibitseventsFairfashion

An invitation to a friendly gathering of creative talents and innovative designers in Kenya featuring works by acclaimed artists Kamal Shah, Angie & Jonathan Scott plus an eclectic variation of work by Unbound Ether Silk…s, Kapoeta Designs by Ambica, Healing Crystals by Sea Garden, Leather Works by Zeebaan, Silver Goods and Accessories by Njee & Pauline, Wicked Tees by Chilli Mango plus much more.

FREE ENTRY

Where: 93B Spring Valley Road, Westlands, Nairobi
When: 9.30am – 4pm, Saturday, May 5th, 2012

Contact 0700-040-998 or 0711-760-240 for more information

Art Exhibit: Nature, Nurture and other Visual meditations – by Miriam Rubino, from May 6 2012 @ UN Recreation Centre

by with No Comment art exhibits

Miriam Rubino is an Argentinean visual artist with over 20 years of experience showcasing quality artworks in diverse international locations. Miriam has a background in Fine Arts, Psychology and Dancing, disciplines that she integrates in a colorful, playful, yet thoughtful manner in her paintings. Her works are part of private collections in Kenya, Italy, Germany, Sweden and the USA, amongst other localities. Miriam has been living and working in Africa for the past 10 years.

This new exhibition features a selection of the latest, semi abstract paintings based on Miriam’s inner work, reflecting on nature, culture and life abundance. This new series of work is vibrant yet collected, intimate yet universal, and its highly visually appealing  as well as intellectually stimulating.

Art Exhibit: African Tales by Paulo Akiiki, May 5-17 2012 @ Banana Hill Art Gallery

by with No Comment art exhibits

Paulo Akiiki is a contemporary African artist-painter, and is widely exhibited both locally and internationally.

Paulo spent most of his youth in his native countryside, a vast area marked by varying bright, dry or lush green plains with dazzling sunlight and spectacular views on huge, shining lakes, light purplish blue skies, hazy hills and dark mountain ranges in the far distance. As a four-year old boy he already started scribbling and drawing on everything he saw.

Later, Paulo pursued Painting, Sculpture and Graphics at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts of the prestigious Makerere University Kampala. He successfully, and with honors, emerged with a Bachelors Degree in Industrial and Fine Arts, in 1998.

Soon after his studies, Akiiki became a productive member of the Uganda Artists Association. He registered his own business, the Ujuzi Art Studios, in his country’s capital Kampala, and has since been practicing from there.

This will be his second exhibition in Kenya, always at Banana Hill.

Art Exhibit: KANGAERU by Yoshinari Nishio & Nishio Workshop Nairobi, May 4-27 2012 @ Le Rustique

by with No Comment art exhibits

Opening Reception in the presence of the artist

4th(Fri), May, 2012. From 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

Dates: From 4th(Fri) to 27th(Sun), May, 2012
Venue: Le Rustique Restaurant, General Mathenge Drive, Westlands, Nairobi

Solo exhibition by contemporary artist Yoshinari Nishio and his artists collective, Nishio Workshop Nairobi.
The exhibition will feature a series of new works titled KANGAERU that were produced through clipping and re-composing different patterns of Kanga during a workshop that took place in Korogocho (Nairobi).

The patterns in different colors were set free from traditional arrangements and rules, thus seeking a new type of order and story by hands of the artist, or by hands of participants of the workshop.

Later on a street intervention was publicly held on Langata road(Nairobi) with street vendors referring to the catwalk of a fashion show.

The documenting photos -taken by James Muriuki – of this performance will be exhibited as well.

Exhibitions: Adrian Nduma; Joseph Muchina; Patricia Njeri and Simon Muriithi @ Nairobi National Museum

by with No Comment art exhibits

Three exhibitions currently at the National Museum:

  • Implosion of Colour! An exhibition of paintings by Adrian Nduma
  • The Beauty of African Culture – An exhibition of paintings by Joseph Muchina
  • The Story Book –  An exhibition by Patricia Njeri and Simon Muriithi

Find out more on the work of  these artists on the Museum’s current newsletter