In ‘Between the Bars’, multidisciplinary artist Ndung’u Mbithi intricately explores the delicate theme of suicide in four weaving pieces. Each piece is of a meshed sisal that is supported by two rods and with a chair painted on it.
His use of a sisal rope in weaving is intentional; hanging by sisal rope is a common method for those who die by suicide.
It takes him between two and four weeks to complete weaving one artwork. “The slow process of weaving is a form of meditation and self-therapy so that by the time I am done with the piece, I am in a different headspace. The suicidal thoughts have gone away,” he says.
These weaving works are part of ‘Between the Bars’, Ndung’u’s personal exhibition that puts together themes of suicide, alcoholism, mental health, survival and healing.
Ndung’u named the four weaving pieces ‘Chairkicker 1’ through ‘Chairkicker 4’.
His first experimentation with weaving was last year for two group exhibitions at Munyu Space, an art gallery in The Mall basement. The gallery curator Rose Jepkorir loved them and was curious to see where his weaving artistry goes.
Ndung’u, who self-curated this exhibition, had no prior knowledge of the visual arts before observing the goings-on as a volunteer at the gallery. “Visual art has become my new love. What I have known about art is what I have seen people do in galleries; therefore, it was challenging for me to bring together this show,” he says.
Other than weaving, he painted tiny chairs on paper in an explicit show of this object of suicide. The eight paintings on paper tell stories of decay and recycling, one that poignantly reflects the numerous chances to life that he gives himself after episodes of suicidal thoughts.
The final displayed works are a chair and a bar installation that represent the themes of suicide and alcoholism, respectively.
The chair installation feature stacked chairs in a disarrayed fashion with ropes hanging from the ceiling. The bar installation is of a dingy bar that is out of business and closed. The bar has used cigarettes and bottles of alcohol littered around a broken piece of furniture.
This, the epitome of the title of his exhibition, is borrowed from a song, ‘Between the Bars’ by Elliott Smith. The American singer struggled with alcohol and heroin use, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depression. He succumbed to self-inflicted stabbing in 2003. [Anjellah Owino]
In the song, Elliott expresses the power and the temporary comfort of addiction. Ndung’u resonated with Elliott’s experiences, as he also struggles with depression, anxiety and alcohol dependency.
Ndung’u chose to explore this subject matter in May, the Mental Health Awareness Month, and to give himself solace. He started drinking by the age of 13. And as an adult, he was prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications by my psychiatrist.
“I lose consciousness from drinking because of my medications, and the drinking slows down their effectiveness. I am trying to quit drinking, and it is a difficult journey. Personal healing is happening in this exhibition,” he says.
This is Ndung’u’s first solo exhibition, and it opened on May 15 and ended on May 31 at Munyu Space, The Mall basement in Westlands.