If you’ve walked through Nairobi’s CBD, you’ve likely seen the colourful murals on buildings such as Extelcoms House and Customs House.
Now, the artist behind these stunning works is inviting the public to get hands-on, handing out brushes so they can paint alongside him.
Mural artist Viktart Mwangi is opening this next chapter of his artistic journey in response to curious onlookers who often asked if they could join him.
When he first handed out paintbrushes, he noticed their excitement and interest in art, despite their lack of access to create. That reaction sparked the idea to keep doing it.
He launched the initiative with a live mural painting at Embe Creatives, a sold-out event held earlier this year.
Since then, he has created collaborative murals that bring people together to transform office spaces and community buildings into vibrant works of art.
Today, he also curates interactive painting events for corporates as part of team-building efforts.
When corporates reach out to him, he designs murals that align with their aesthetics and the purpose of their events, then gives everyone a brush to contribute to the piece. For him, the goal is to craft experiences rather than perfect artworks.
“My murals are usually predictable, but creating with people introduces unpredictability. When I paint with others, I allow the pieces to be cluttered with their expressions. I could tell someone to paint a circle, but I can’t anticipate how they’ll do it,” he says.
He adds that while participants often worry they might ruin the murals, they actually bring fresh perspectives, helping him see the works in ways he’d never imagined before.
“People have embraced events designed for imperfections like this—spaces where they can unwind and wander. It’s not about the outcome but about sharing experiences. This era of my work is called ‘Viktart and the People,’” he says.
Beyond fostering team building, the initiative also promotes art education and provides a form of art therapy. His creative process has now evolved into a hybrid one, where clients actively paint with him.
“Creating pieces with me in their own spaces gives them a sense of ownership,” he explains.
Viktart has always been drawn to large-scale works, starting with trimming bougainvillea at home while growing up. Artistically, he began with small black-and-white drawings before moving on to watercolours and later acrylic paintings.
While studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Design at Kenyatta University, a friend’s father commissioned him to paint a piece.
“From then on, I’ve always felt the itch to scale up my works, and that’s how I got into mural painting,” he says.