Legendary painter Patrick Mukabi, fondly known as Panye, has died at the age of 56 after illness, leaving behind a momentous legacy as an artist and mentor who guided a generation of artists.
Born in Nairobi in 1969 as the fourth of seven children, Mukabi initially pursued graphic design before going back to his first passion, the fine arts. He built a career primarily as a painter, working mostly in acrylic on canvas, with a strong interest in the human figure.
His work was inspired from everyday life, particularly the experiences and activities of women in domestic spaces and informal business settings. Mukabi portrayed his subjects in ways that highlighted dignity and resilience.
He expanded his work through the Cover Girls series, featuring live models and celebrating fuller-bodied women who embraced their beauty outside conventional fashion ideals. In recent years, he depicted these curvy women in marketplaces in full vibrancy.
Mukabi’s legacy has been acknowledged through exhibitions and mentorship initiatives that reflects his influence in the contemporary art scene.
In April 2026, the Patrick Mukabi Medical Fund Benefit Art Exhibition was held at Trademark Hotel, Village Market, and brought together 47 artists who donated 50 works to support his medical care. The initiative was curated by Thadde Tewa through Tewasart and Patrons.
The Banana Hill Art Gallery has also been running his solo exhibition titled Mali Safi from March 21 to May 5 to raise funds for his medical care. Some of the works in this exhibition were borrowed from collectors to fill the gallery walls since Mukabi was unable to produce new works.
Earlier, in May 2025, Mukabi featured in Dust to Form at Ardhi Gallery, a collaborative exhibition with artist Jimmy Kitheka. The show explored mentorship through three generations of artists using charcoal as a medium that Mukabi taught artists.
Kitheka, one of his protégés, incorporated Mukabi’s technical influence and use of charcoal to pay homage in the artistic lineage.
Eric Muriithi, artistically known as Sticcky, is another one of Mukabi’s mentees and one of the many artists who worked at Mukabi’s Dust Depo Studio at the Railways Museum, where emerging artists, including children, practised art.
“The world has lost a great man, a kind, gentle soul, talented beyond measure and a father figure to so many artists. May he rest well, where peace overflows and where inspiration is eternal, and may his wonderful talks be told for ages. Rest well, Panye,” Sticcky wrote on Facebook.
Mukabi has mentored countless emerging artists at his Dust Depo, and whenever artists bumped into him in artistic spaces, he always offered good cheer, advice and encouragement.
Kids Create Kenya remembered Mukabi’s time at Anidan Art Centre 11 years ago, where he mentored young artists in foundational techniques, including three-point perspective drawing and experimental charcoal methods.
“Patrick was an inspiration and teacher to so many young artists in Kenya; his passion, dedication and creative techniques can still be felt in the artworks of the young artists there,” they wrote on Instagram.
They continued: “And if you look closely enough, you can still see his hand in hundreds of paintings created by Kenyan artists working today.”
Curator and artist Stephanie Chianda expressed, “Every artist I know personally has a Panye story of how his studio was a place of mentorship and grounding in their early art careers. This is a big loss.”