Richard
Kimathi’s solo exhibition at One Off Gallery entitled ‘Bare Knuckles’ takes one
on a fascinating journey in which the artist interrogates the meaning of
manhood.
It’s a
daunting challenge, given this Kenyan visual artist relies on only oil paints
on canvas to convey an inquiry into the issue of Identity from a male
perspective. But with the combination of simplicity and directness, his
paintings portray a series of boys to men in which his subtle symbolism compels
the viewer to get the gist of his inquiry.
The title of
his show, ‘Bare Knuckles’ is also a subtle play on words, since it would seem
to refer to boxing and the vulnerability of the one who chooses to box with his
bare hands, his naked knuckles. So one gets the idea right away that the
artist, though painting a series of young boy and adolescents, is exploring an
issue that implies a risky business. After all, the knuckles are naked,
unprotected as is the unadvised child.
Naked also
are the little boys in his paintings, although their torsos are painted as
silhouettes so there’s nothing offensive about their nakedness. But apart from
the series in the show of solo faces of little boys, most of the remaining
paintings include a phallic symbol that gives away the notion that this is an
issue that men, be they young or old, must address at various moments in their
lives.
Richard Kimathi with his sons
The symbol
is most frequently associated with dominance and power, but that definition
would seem to be what Kimathi is struggling with. He’s a gentle man as well as the
father of two young boys and a girl (the lads are six and nine; the girl is
three). So one imagines that the meaning of manliness and how to share it with
his sons is an internal debate that could have influenced this series of artworks.
One doesn’t want
to read too much into his paintings. However, Kimathi is an artist who
consistently addresses sensitive issues in his art. He’s never been one to
merely paint ‘art for art’s sake’. But this show feels especially personal.
There’s an air of innocence in most of the boys’ faces. Occasionally, there’s
an expression of bewilderment, as if the child is wondering, ‘what do I do with
this thing?’
But there’s
also an undercurrent of play in Kimathi’s paintings, as they seem to reveal the
joy this gentle artist clearly has in being a father with responsibilities that
can hardly help spilling over into his art. (He even brought his two boys to
last Saturday’s exhibition opening in Roslyn at One Off Gallery.
Originally
from Nyeri, Kimathi attended the Creative Arts Centre in Nairobi in the 1990s
before joining Kuona Trust in 1996. He’s an award-winning artist who’s
exhibited his art everywhere from Hong Kong and Trieste, Italy, to Washington,
DC, Amsterdam, Madrid and Dakar. He also exhibits regularly with One Off where ‘Bare
Knuckles’ is currently on display in the white-walled Stables side of the
gallery.
Honesty by Kimathi
On the side
is the Loft where Carol Lees has also curated a second show, this one featuring
works by Peter Ngugi, Leena Shah, Anthony Okello, Timothy Brooke, Fitsum Behre,
Olivia Pendergast and Rashid Diab among others.
Kimathi’s
exhibition will run through 25th September.
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