BY
Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted April 23, 2017)
Many things
make Boniface Maina’s current exhibition at Nairobi Gallery a special event.
First off, it’s not incidental that Boni is the first contemporary Kenyan artist
under 30 (apart from Peter Elungat) to exhibit in the Gallery’s one hall
devoted to contemporary art and to what the Gallery’s curator, Alan Donovan,
calls ‘Veterans’ meaning artists has
known since the 1970s.
The fact the
show is entitled ‘Transitions’ speaks to this point. It was Alan who decided to
start showcasing younger artists who represent what’s happening in the Kenyan
art world right now.
It’s that
aspect of timeliness and relevance that also makes Boniface’s show important.
It’s important in part because his satiric political portraits, painted with
pen and ink and ‘accessorized’ with gold leaf, serve to debunk a common myth
about Kenyan art. That is that it’s rarely politically edgy; only decorative ‘art
for art’s sake’.
His
paintings, although they could seem slightly obtuse to some observers, defy
that shallow perspective. His artworks are all steeped in political symbolism
that’s not simply satirical but often subtly savage and borderline cynical!
At the
opening last Sunday, a number of young Kenyans challenged the notion that his
art was cynical. On the contrary, they said, it was “realistic”.
For
instance, his portrait of the ‘Poster Boy’ reflects a phenomenon happening
right now during these pre-election days. These are the times when politicians
are paying poor young people to ignore the signs that say ‘No Posters’ and put
theirs up anyway.
It’s significant
that from the backside view, the ‘Boy’ looks naked. That’s because the nakedness
is symbolic not only of the young man’s poverty, but also of his vulnerability,
and thus his exploitability.
It’s noticeable
that Boni’s paintings are populated by either prospective voters or candidates.
Also that the voters are practically all naked while the political candidates
are clothed. The aspirants might only be wearing a hat and underpants as in “Mheshimiwa
Returns’ or a bright red tie as in “The Serial Contestant II”. But they’re
still better dressed than the voters whose favor they are ferociously seeking
during this pre-election time.
It’s true
that a few candidates have on a suit as in “Kura ya Mheshimiwa” (He’s also got
the hat and red tie.) One even has a fur-collared coat. But he’s also the one
pol whose face reflects the artist’s actual feelings for this breed of animal.
This ‘mheshimiwa’ has the face of a hungry fox, the kind one used to see in a
grim fairy tale like ‘Little Red Riding Hood’.
What saves
Boni’s show from being simply savage and cynical is the streak of humor that
runs through every satirical piece. For instance, he lampoons both political
parties, as revealed in his ‘Flag Bearer I’ and ‘Flag Bearer II’. They’re both
holding inflated balloons not flags. The NASA one wears an astronaut’s suit,
while the Jubilee one has a hat concealing his face.
Several
paintings are my favorites. One is ‘’Tyranny of Aspirants’ which is his most salient
satiric piece on the plastering of posters all over Eastlands. Another is his
dancing politician doing ‘The Political Dab’, which most pols are now doing
after seeing it performed by the Big Man.
Finally, his
“Kings and the Golden Vote” is possibly Boni’s wittiest. The two gold-leaf
footprints in the centre of the work are surrounded by outlines of crowns,
suggesting every candidate aspires to be a king.
In this
regard, ‘Transitions’ isn’t just about Kenyan elections. It seems to be
relevant to elections everywhere in the world.
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