Daily Nation | MARGARETTA WA GACHERU

The fourth Kenya Arts Festival fell short of the high expectations that had been set in previous years. There were still any number of outstanding young and experienced older artists who exhibited this year. But they were fewer than in years past. Plus a number of galleries didn’t participate this year. The few that did were The Little Art Gallery, Bobea Art Centre and BIEA.

What’s more, there were far fewer art talks, panels and group discussions than in years past.Diagnoses of the various factors that may have contributed to the decline in the Art Fair 2017 are manifold.Most people note that Sarit Centre’s rental fees shot sky high (relatively speaking) this year such that at least one exhibitor was stunned when after paying Sh11,300 for a booth in 2016, it was asked to pay more than Sh33,000 by the Fair organisers who apparently got advise from Sarit’s owners…read more 

Image | Mama cooking by Mike Chalo was one of the paintings at the Art Fair | MARGARETTA WA GACHERU