More than 800 artworks by over 400 artists were showcased at the Nairobi National Museum during the 18th edition of the biannual Affordable Art Show, which attracted over 4,000 visitors.
Curated by the Museum’s curator Lydia Galavu, the exhibition brought together a diverse mix of first-time exhibitors and established artists from across East Africa.
The show featured a wide variety of visual art forms, including acrylics, oils, string art, mixed media, and sculptures.
Artistic styles ranged from realism to abstract and pointillism, with subjects covering portraits, wildlife, daily life, and nature.
Visual artist Doreen Mueni exhibited two emotionally charged pieces—Presence of Her Absence and Half Remembered, Half Gone—from her four-part series titled Weight of Absence. The series addresses the pressing issue of femicide and explores the emotional, social, and cultural void caused by gender-based violence.
“The first artwork expresses that though a woman may no longer be physically present in the world, her essence continues to resonate within our hearts and minds,” said Mueni.
Working with oil and acrylics, Doreen used symbolic imagery to drive home her message.
“I used two unbalanced sphere symbols to represent the injustice inherent in this narrative,” she explained. “I use contrasting light and dark elements to juxtapose a painful past with the hope for a brighter future.”
In Half Remembered, Half Gone, a woman with sorrowful eyes is depicted as half of her face fades away. “This artwork conveys that all too often, when women become victims of femicide, their names and stories fade into obscurity, reminding us of the importance of remembering and honouring their lives,” she said.
As with every edition of the show, one of Derrick Munene’s artworks was featured on the event poster. This time, it was Red Dress, a piece described as a love letter to women who reclaim their narratives.
“The Red Dress is a metaphor where her struggles, cultures and triumphs are not hidden but represented by deliberate, beautiful patterns that shape who she is. The artwork is a collage, with carefully selected pieces of paper cut from magazines placed to create this vibrant work,” he said.
The event also included a live painting session with participating artists Doreen Mueni, Meshak Okeyo, Valerie Rusini, Alfred Wango, and Yanzi.
Visitors engaged in hands-on activities such as patchwork, quilting, slime making, canvas painting, face painting, pot painting, and bracelet making.
According to the Kenya Museum Society (KMS), more than 750 artists applied to participate in the show, but only 34 percent were women.
“The difference is reflective of the art scene in Kenya generally,” said Dorothy Mkala of KMS.
Held every May and October, the Affordable Art Show is East Africa’s largest art event.
It is organised by the Kenya Museum Society, which receives a commission from each piece sold to support projects at the National Museums of Kenya.