East African Art Auction Highlights Regional Talent and Global Interest
An art auction in Nairobi on Wednesday evening showcased the vibrant creativity of artists from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, drawing enthusiastic buyers who spent a total of $230,000. The event featured 66 artworks, with 15 of the top 20 selling pieces coming from the three East African nations, while five were attributed to Sudanese artists.
Organized by Nairobi-based Art Auction East Africa in collaboration with South African auction house Strauss & Co, the auction took place at the Circle Art Gallery. It combined physical, online, and over-the-phone bidding, allowing a wide range of participants to engage in the sale. Some of the artworks were snapped up within minutes, while others saw prolonged bidding as collectors competed for pieces that had been displayed for two weeks prior to the event.
Notable Artists and Their Masterpieces
Tanzanian artist Kiure Francis Msangi, who passed away in 2003, was among the most sought-after during the auction. His works from 1961, 1969, and 1974 attracted significant attention. The 1969 painting “Baobab under the Red Moon” sold for $27,218, making it the highest-priced piece of the night. Another of his works, “Lusiki” from 1961, fetched $12,248, while “Soul Sister” from 1974 sold for $3,629.
Msangi, a renowned art professor, was trained at Makerere University and later earned a Fulbright scholarship to study in the United States. He received a BFA in Graphic Design from the California College of Arts in 1975, an MA in Art Education in 1977, and a PhD in 1987 from Stanford University. After spending 12 years in California, he returned to Kenya to teach at Kenyatta University.
Another Tanzanian artist, Sam Ntiro (1923–1993), also made an appearance in the top 20. His artwork “Working in the Fields” sold for $9,797. Ntiro, who studied at Makerere, held his first solo exhibition in 1955 and sold more than 30 works throughout his career.
Ugandan Contributions Shine Bright
From Uganda, Geoffrey Mukasa, who died in 2009, led the pack with his posthumous sales. His mixed-media collage “Still Life” sold for $9,027. Born in 1954, Mukasa spent part of his childhood in the king’s palace in Buganda. After leaving Uganda due to the Idi Amin coup, he studied fine art in India, where he experimented with various artistic styles influenced by both Indian and European movements.
Mukasa’s other work in the top 20, a 1996 untitled mixed-media collage, sold for $5,443. Two other Ugandan artists also made the list: Fabian Mpagi, whose 1979 “Abstract Figures” sold for $7,348, and Ronex Ahimbisibwe, whose 2009 painting “Kissed by the Sun” fetched $7,076.
Kenyan Artists Make Strong Showing
Kenya contributed seven names to the top 20. Justus Kyalo’s 2021 painting “More Light a Little” sold for $8,165. Beatrice Wanjiku’s 2010 artwork “We Are Who We Are” went for $7,250. Gakunju Kaigwa, who collaborated with Zimbabwean artist Tapfuma Gutsa on the marble sculpture “Mami Wata,” earned $5,352 for the piece created earlier this year.
Boniface Maina’s 2012 painting “Diary of the Concealed” was the first piece to be auctioned, fetching $5,069. Shabu Mwangi’s oil-on-canvas painting “Black Moon,” completed in 2014, sold for $4,536. Ancent Soi, who died in 2022, had two cattle-themed works that found eager buyers. His 1972 untitled piece sold for $3,810, while “Herdsboy Taking Cows Home” from 1995 fetched $3,629.
A Celebration of East African Art
According to Ms. Danda Jaroljmek, Director of the Circle Art Agency and founder of Art Auction East Africa, the auction highlighted the diversity of artistic practices across East Africa over the past six decades. She emphasized the significance of showcasing regional talent on an international stage.
Ms. Susie Goodman, Managing Executive of Strauss & Co, noted that the partnership between the two firms underscores the importance of collaboration in building a thriving pan-African art ecosystem.