What’s the Business of Art in Nairobi like?
There are on average six exhibition openings in Nairobi, every month, with most of them running for a period of two weeks. Do the math and you’ll grasp that the art industry is on a rise in Nairobi. This wasn’t the case last year or any other time in the past, according to Judy Ogana who’s been working in the Kenyan arts industry for over a decade and is now the General Manager at The GoDown Arts Centre. She seems quite thrilled about how far the art’s industry has come in terms of freedom for artists to display their work. She notes pensively, “There’s a lot more awareness today. That has made artists comfortable to show their creative work.”
You can feel the excitement of the aesthetic revolution if you visit local art markets like Westlands curio market or while enjoying your favorite meals at trendy restaurants and bistros like Java, Art Café, the new Boma hotel and Purdy Arms, whose walls are adorned with art pieces (mostly by local artists) all year round. This is a fairly recent and much welcomed development. For about two decades, many artists relied on Gallery Watatu, as the only professionally-managed space showcasing and selling art. “If you [an artist] were not at Gallery Watatu, you would never see the light of day,” recalls Judy.
The GoDown and Kuona Trust Arts Centres among other spaces have since provided a good number of artists with small studios and gallery space. Other opportunities they’ve presented to artists include: international exchange programs, training and mentoring, workshops and artists presentations. At the moment there are up to 100 visual artists between the two art centres. Kuona even offers artists an equipped art library, which has over 2,000 publications, and free internet to facilitate easy communication with the global village. Countless galleries, organizations, cultural centres and even bistros like Karen’s Que Pasa and Talisman are now offering artists room to exhibit their work. Word has it that there’s a new non-profit museum on its way specialized in modern Kenyan art.
Making a living as an artist in Nairobi is still hard work and the artists have to gain their profits from four basic revenue streams: commissioned work, exhibitions/ workshops, agents/collectors and random buyers. Collectors and random buyers are the most common sources of revenue and these two groups are often attracted by contemporary hot shots like Cyrus Kabiru, Paul Onditi, Patrick Mukabi, Michael Soi, Peterson Kamwathi, Beatrice Wanjiku and Peter Elungat among others. Cyrus Kabiru’s fancy C-Stunners eyewear have earned him a global mention as among Africa’s most creative artists. Most recently, his stunners, which retail from USD 700 going onwards, were showcased at the prestigious 2013 Milan Design Week. “I sell more stunners than my paintings, mostly in the studio. I have a lot of international collectors coming to Kenya just to buy my stunners,” he says and adds that the sales are random and highly unpredictable, “I could sell every day of the week or once a month.”
A big wig in the circle of top Kenyan artists, Patrick Mukabi says he makes about KES 1.5 M a year while other big earners cash up to KES 7M annually. “Sometimes I could have a [dry spell] and not sell anything for an entire month or more then one day, and mostly through friends, I could sell an art piece for even KES 500, 000 or as low as KES 5,000,” says budding artist/designer Edward Manyonge who is planning to have his debut exhibition at MJ Centre this August.
The Kenyan art industry has been growing since the 90s but the really high earners are a new phenomenon. “Renowned artists like Jackson Wanjau, Sane Wadu and Jack Katarikawe would still make money but not like today,” notes Judy, adding “Compared to the past, local people also today purchase and appreciate art.” Although a few Kenyan artists have made it big, they are very much in the minority and getting the foot in the door is a struggle. Twenty-three-year-old artist Wini Awoundo returned to Kenya last year after studying art abroad. She was met by the cold reality of not finding an art gallery willing to give an unknown and budding artist space. In May 2013, she later held her debut solo exhibition at her own house and sold over 15 pieces from the collection.
Other stakeholders in the art industry like Circle Art Agency (East Africa’s first independent arts agency set up to promote the contemporary art market) have seen the potential of the industry’s fine art and are determined to help Kenyan artists get more access to local and international clients. Fiona Fox, one of the directors at the agency says it’s exciting times as “the market is emerging financially and a lot of companies are now based here with some exclusive buyers relocating in Kenya.” The agency has positioned itself mainly as the artist’s connector to their best-suited client. “We put out a call depending on what a client wants. We then commission the artists to create the artwork after various consultations between them and the client. We also get in touch with artists who we feel would be capable for various projects, Danda (Danda Jaroljmek, former Director of Kuona Arts Centre and now a director at Circle Arts) pretty much has most contacts to Kenyan artists and knows what’s new in the market,” Fiona explains.
Circle Art Agency will hold a high-end art auction on November 1st at the Villa Rosa Kempinski, Nairobi. For more check www. circleartagency.com
By Anyiko Owoko
