Big prizes? You can bank on it!

Five Kenyans and one Iranian have been chosen to represent Kenya in the finals of a new art competition, aimed at encouraging work by young people.

An Iranian? Well, why not? Maral Bolouri is at least married to a Kenyan. It makes a change from the Chinese, and we still have the rest of the world to go at.

In any case, Bolouri is based at a recognised arts centre, the Kuona in Nairobi, instead of what I presume to be a shed either in Beijing or round the back of the Chinese embassy. And, thank heavens, she also happens to be rather good.

Three of her mixed media images — photocopy transfers featuring disparate elements inspired by and made during a performance by an Argentinian musician — will be going to Johannesburg for judging in the finals of the Barclays l’Atelier Art Competition.

It was recently expanded to include artists not only from South Africa but also Botswana, Kenya, Ghana and Zambia.

The hatful of prizes includes more than $13,000 cash, a six-month sabbatical in Paris, a two-month residency in Germany, a one-month fellowship in New York, plus a solo exhibition at a South African gallery … well worth the effort, you might think.

Yet the competition in Kenya attracted but 33 artists, of whom only six were judged good enough for exhibition; one of these being our photocopying Iranian inspired by an Argentinian.

So what to do… a hall at the National Museum to fill and precious little to put in it. The answer, decided organiser Raj Shah, who set up the event for Barclays with local support from the Kuona Trust, was to fill it up with more than 40 pictures and sculptures from artists specially invited to exhibit.

Unfortunately Barclays was unwilling to show artists attached to private galleries who could expect commission on sales — thus ruling out Peterson Kamwathi, Richard Kimathi, Beatrice Wanjiku and Ehoodi Kichape among others — and instead sought works from the unattached.

And that explains why an exhibition planned to promote the work of young artists includes two paintings by Shah’s own dear lady wife, Leena Shah, a couple of thoughtful pieces by Paul Onditi, one by Yassir Ali, a large painting by Geraldine Robarts, a chalk drawing of a mother and child by Patrick Kinuthia, charcoals of plump market women by Patrick Mukabi, saucy pictures by Michael Soi and sculptures by Joseph “Bertiers” Mbatia and Maggie Otieno, all of whom, with the best will in the world, may be thought to be aged something over 21.

Never mind, at least there was a reasonable cross-section of work — and abilities — to see.
The five Kenyans who won through to the Jo’burg finals were a mixed lot. Outstandingly good was Wambui Wamae Kamiru, with her installation about the inter-dependency of African revolutions and ordinary people.

Painstakingly put together and at once intelligent and provocative, I will be surprised if it does not feature somewhere among the ultimate prizewinners.

Also on the mark was Jackie Karuti, with her paintings first seen at the Kuona under the title Labyrinth. Prisoners stare through bars… stand in lines… spirits dulled by monotony… we are all trapped in the meaningless existence we call our lives… Labyrinth explores the banality of life through repetition… Labyrinth explores the banality of life through repetition… etc. etc. etc.

We have been here before, but it remains a considered deconstruction and what the artist calls, “a morbid response to an unlivable life.” It deserves its place in the final.

Another who is in with a shout for Kenya is Brian Omollo, who in three mixed media pieces reflects on his cross-cultural upbringing: Kenya meets Superhero. Spiderman morphs into a monkey, Batman becomes a tiger (er, not actually African, Brian) and Catwoman turns into a cheetah.

Kevin Irungu from the Kibera-based Masaai Mbili collective makes the finals with a painted construction called Daily Kibera Home Bank, part of his Daily Kibera series that promotes the more positive side of life in Africa’s biggest slum.

A touch passé

And last and least is Cyrus Kabiru, who set the art world abuzz with his C-Stunners handmade spectacles. It was a great idea, big on irony and a witty comment on waste and the need for recycling. It still amuses, but is becoming a touch passé. Here he has decorated a Black Mamba as a tribute to those iconic bicycles.

Apart from the finalists, two other invited artists are worth a look. Jennifer Atieno offers two figure paintings, beautifully modelled and secure in line and volume, while Paul Njihia gives us a carefully rendered overhead view of three walking figures, called Pass Slowly.

If the failure of the Barclays competition to attract enough entries to fill the hall has been a disappointment, it has at least brought prominence to these two artists, if only by default.

Can it be that the value of sound technical skills is now being realised more widely? I have not seen work by either Atieno or Njihia before, but I certainly hope to again.

Frank Whalley runs Lenga Juu, a fine arts and media consultancy based in Nairobi