A Van, Several Artists, Libraries and Dust- In the Case of Books with Jackie Karuti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Case of Books with Jackie Karuti is prime evidence of the depth and growth in the Kenyan or Nairobian perspective of art. The visual artist and performer based at Kuona Trust arranged a dust up the libraries project running for two days (Thursday 11th and Friday 12th September). It is part of an ongoing project by Karuti, the last of which- Where Books Go to Die- UP loved in April this year, aiming to create an interactive performance around libraries while encouraging people to read books.

There are six artists in the car discussing literature in general, in particular and abstractly. The characteristics of the introvert; our relationship with books; and everything above and between. We tour Nairobi stopping at schools and homes cleaning books, checking out collections, and conversing on everything from literature, to gender, to Maina Kageni. Through the conversations that quicken the mind and insights that feed the intellect, the group traversed Nairobi considering the dynamic relationship the city, the people and the world has with literature.

Ayany Primary School in Kibra and Fountain Junior Primary School will be two recipients of Story Moja’s Start A Library Campaign which aims to generate interest in reading, and facilitate greater access to books by donating books to various schools. It was argued a few months ago that Kenyan’s don’t read enough. Initiatives like the Start A Library campaign and In the Case of Books works to change this by raising awareness and loving literature.

The Ayany library works as a classroom at the moment as the school undergoes renovations. The books at the back of the class are many and mostly academic raising dust and sneezes from the crew armed with buckets and rags as we dust and discuss the library. The Fountain Junior library, like the school itself, is much smaller than Anany, the students are fewer and younger while the library, like Anany’s, is comprised of mostly academic books.

Among the dust particles rising from underused Ayany library and the chattering voices of the students in the class are stunned exclamations at the rich content of the library. ‘New friends,’ ‘The Crocodile Stories,’ the Moses Stories by Barabara Kimenya and Mr. Kamau’s Hello Children series brought much nostalgia and excitement in the group as we remember reading them in school.

Visiting Neo Musangi and Chebet Mutai’s home libraries, the experience is intimate with intricate exchanges of opinions and thoughts as we salivated over the delicious variety in their libraries. Not only focusing on physical literature in this digital age, we scour through and discuss amazing e-books, libraries, softwares and apps, their benefits and disadvantages. Many agreed that nothing comes close to the feel and smell of a book in your hand.

The interactive performance continues today as the group visits Komarock Primary and the homes of Clifton Gachagua, Okwiri Oduor, Peterson Kamwathi ending finally at Jackie Karuti’s own studio library. A bold and beautiful ode to the love of literature In the Case of Books brings us closer to books and the people that love them.

Find out more about the project and Jackie Karuti in her blog.