Kaloki Nyamai Isyo sina moyo, 2023, Mixed media, acrylic, collage stitching on canvas 215 x 230 cm, Galerie Barbara Thumm 2023, Courtesy Galerie Barbara Thumm
Galerie Barbara Thumm welcomes the first solo show by Kenyan artist Kaloki Nyamai.
Dining in Chaos depicts figures in times of social upheaval. Composed entirely in Nairobi, the series explores material density and social portraiture through layered canvases. Following Nyamai’s commitment to painting as a sculptural medium, his compositions are threaded with sisal rope, dye transfer, and stitching on canvas.
In this instance, chaos is treated as a stage for the tumultuous beauty of our times. An underlying question pulses across the works; does one stop abruptly, or carry on dining.
