Pot and Identities

Archaeology & Art! Pots and Identities: The Language of Clay + Launch of Edward Njenga’s Autobiography, May 7- Jun. 30 2016 @ National Museum

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Pot and Identities
Opening and Book Launch: May 7, 2016
Venue: the National Museum of Kenya, Nairobi
Time: 2 pm
Entry: Free

Until: June 30, 2016
Entry: Museum Rates Apply

Pots and Identities: The language of clay
Pottery is one of the most enduring artifacts in the archaeological record. It has been used the world over to provide relative dates for sites and also to reconstruct life ways of the prehistoric people.

This exhibition is the archaeologist version of the Kenyan history and the contemporary practices of potters/ artists through the language of clay. In both cases, the identity of the potter is easily discernible from either the style or decorations of the pot.

In some cases, archaeological data cannot stand alone and archaeologists have used present day practices to interpret their data. Some of the comparative data include studies on pottery functions, pottery making technologies, innovation and diffusion…

Outstanding archaeological and traditional pottery alongside contemporary works by Magdalene Odundo, Mzee Edward Njenga, Waithira Chege and Emmanuel Ondif among others.

Book Launch
During the exhibition opening there will be a book launch of Edward Njenga’s autobiography ‘Telling it in Clay’ written by Lynette Kariuki.

Celebrating Kenya @50 with Art from Edward Njenga & Leonard Kateete

Celebrating Kenya @ 50 years: Art Exhibition by Edward Njenga & Leonard Kateete, Until Dec. 31 2013 @ National Museum

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Celebrating Kenya @50 with Art from Edward Njenga & Leonard Kateete
Celebrating Kenya @50 with Art from Edward Njenga & Leonard Kateete
The Nairobi National Museum is curating two art exhibitions in celebration of Kenya’s 50th Anniversary. The show is part of a series of anniversary events and exhibitions taking place in the National Museums of Kenya throughout the year.

Opening: July 30, 2013
Venue: National Museum
Time: 5 pm
Guest of Honour: Hon. Dr Hassan Wario, Cabinet Secretary, Sports Culture & the Arts

Exhibition Dates: Until December 31, 2013

Showcasing: Edward Njenga A Son’s Dedication (1962 – 2013 ceramics) and Leonard Kateete Humanity through My Eyes portraits of the traditional African Family

Celebrating Kenya @50 with art

‘A son’s Dedication’ by 91 year old Kenyan ceramist Edward Njenga is an outstanding display of miniature human forms depicting events in Kenya’s history from 1962 to current. Njenga’s ceramics are modelled around the themes of history, health, education, family and relationships, religion, recreation, sports, sustenance, communication, technology and everything human.

The focus on Ugandan artist Leonard Kateete is his almost life-size oil paintings of African communities, commissioned and owned by Nation Media Group and loaned to the Nairobi National Museum for exhibition.
Art has no boundaries; Kateete who resides in Nairobi is responsible for several magnificent murals and sculpture installations in Kenya. An original print of Tears of Freedom (1990); an expressive portrait of Nelson Mandela in oils that is a collection on display at the Mandela Museum SA, will also be on show. Humanity through My Eyes is no doubt a magnificent contribution to the preservation and presentation of the physical history of the African people through art.

The two artists will exhibit in the Cultural Dynamism Gallery and the Ecology Gallery respectively for 6 months.
The Nairobi National Museum is home to some of the most celebrated heritage collections of Kenya and the East African region.
These two exhibitions aim to serve as a major attraction and a useful source of information on Kenya’s history, art and culture.