Pascal Chuma on Chumaism and the Bobea dream

A sign of a true artist is a creator of life’s reflection in a way that is unique to them. Pascal Chuma’s style is called Chumaism and when you catch a glimpse of the curving lines and depth of his paintings will you understand that a term had to be coined for it. He calls his work a “flickering networking of colors” and that it is.

Pascal begun painting professionally five years ago and has never looked back. Trained in Buruburu Institute of Fine Arts, he mastered cubism, realism, expressionism, mixed media and later conceived Chumaism. On his inspiration, he says, “true art is alive and I am inspired by the environment around me and the female form.” When you study any of his paintings, they express the beauty, harmony and spirit of both his inner and outer worlds. “Each of his artworks reflects his feelings, sensitivity, passion and the music from the soul, to the canvas,” he tells us.

Pascal felt the need to share the opportunities and success he had with the youth in his community. He opened the Bobea Art Centre in 2010 which has become an oasis for artistic youth in Donholm in a world that does not fully recognize art as a profession. It’s motto is ‘redefining art’ and that is what it has done for artists in the area. “It really is like a talent catchment area. The students never knew that art could be a real job.” Through his encouragement and advice, he has seen his students excel in art and have numerous exhibitions of their own.

Describing the Kenyan market for art he says, “We suffer from art illiteracy. We love buying sofa-sets and cars but don’t think of art. We don’t value it as much as we should. It’s sad that most of my clients are non-Kenyans.”

His latest work is the World Cup series that depicts football scenes in the run up to the World Cup in Rio that begins in June later this year.