The African Arts Trust, a charity group set up by former business partner of Charles Bronson will, in collaboration with Bonhams auction house raise fund for Kenyan art education, next month.
The auction comes two
days ahead of the next edition of Bonhams’ Africa Now auction in London, selling works
of eight leading Kenyan artists for the fundraising.
According to Bonhams, the proceeds from the sales of the selected works will form part
of funds for visual arts education in Kenya. The Bonhams Africa Now, which
holds once in a year for Contemporary African art takes place two days later on
May 22.
“The money raised from the charity auction is designated specifically
for use in Kenya in the field of visual art education, of which there is a
serious lack and a great need. The sale is in association with The African Arts
Trust and Circle Art Agency, and with the generous sponsorship of Afren.
“All the funds generated
by the sale of the eight Kenyan paintings will go directly to projects in
Kenya: neither the African Arts Trust nor the artists will keep any of the
proceeds. The artists who have donated work to the auction will be involved in
deciding exactly how and where it is spent.
“The eight artists
included in this auction represent all that is best from the current crop of
Kenyan contemporary artists. They were selected by Danda Jaroljmek of Circle
Art Agency and Robert Devereux of The African Arts Trust. Devereux comments:
"I am delighted that Bonhams have joined with the African Arts Trust to
host this auction. The artists featured in this sale are some of the finest in
Kenya and they deserve the greater international recognition that the auction
will bring. There is a pressing need for greater awareness and education
relating to the visual arts and the proceeds of this sale will further this
aim."
“The eight works to be
offered at the evening sale on Monday 20th May reveal a wide range of stylistic
and thematic concerns. Some of the works have a distinctly socio-political
edge, from Joseph Bertier's Yesterday Afternoon, which depicts panicked
grocery-buying in a Kenyan market triggered by the failure of the biometric
vote-tallying system in the March elections, to Michael Soi's China loves
Africa, which sardonically probes the relationship between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Anthony Okello, James Muriuki and Peterson Kamwathi explore aspects
of Kenyan city life: Okello navigates the personal resonances of urban
anonymity and angst; Muriuki's ongoing photographic project, Undefined
Construction, captures the changing face of the built environment; and Kamwathi
considers the social effects of queues. In an innovative refashioning of
recycled and waste metal materials, Cyrus Kabiru presents a playful pair of
bifocals that conjure up the energy and ingenuity of Nairobi's youth. Finally,
evocative paintings by Beatrice Wanjiku and Paul Onditi explore universal
themes of human desire and dissatisfaction.
“Circle Art Agency is East
Africa's first independent arts agency, set up to support and promote the
contemporary art market in Kenya and the region. They are passionate about
contemporary African art. Through arts consultancy, exhibitions, a collectors'
club and an annual art auction they aim to give talented artists greater
visibility and opportunities. This allows collectors, both local and
international, to benefit from and enjoy the region's vibrant art scene. The
African Arts Trust acts as a catalyst for the emergence and growth of locally
managed and sustainable contemporary art organizations in Africa. It supports a
wide range of projects with an emphasis on grass roots organizations that
support professional practising artists trying to make a livelihood in the
visual arts.
“As the only international
auction house to offer dedicated sales for modern and contemporary African art,
Bonhams is a key player in the development of this emerging market.”
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