Digital
artist Barbara Muriungi was just one of the nearly 30 artists and artisans
showing their wares last weekend at the K1 Flea Market inside the K1 Club House
on Ojijo Road.
The Flea
Market is only three months old, according to Kaz Lucas, who in addition to
being a popular singer, actress and co-host of the ‘positive sex’ podcast
called ‘The Stream’ is also the ‘event’s organizer’ who designed and opened the
Market together with K1 Club House director, Sammy Kahama.
Front row: K1 Club House Director Sammy Kahama and K1 Flea Market organizer Kaz Lucas
Yet in spite
of its being nearly brand new, the Market has already become a popular venue
that arts venders are clamoring to book a space in so they can show off their
specialty crafts, foods, casual fashions and accessories.
Mother - daughter team display infinity scarves, ribbons and leather bags at K1 Flea Market
Last Sunday’s
exhibitors displayed an eclectic assortment of items. They came with everything
from fresh tree tomato jams and junk art jewelry to digital art prints, miniature
potted plants and children’s books all written and illustrated by Kenyans.
Then there
was the live music by the band Afro-sync that only added to the festive,
party-like energy that permeated the K1 Flea Market.
Right
outside the Market, one can also see a colorful trail of graffiti art created
by a host of graffiti specialists including Bankslave, Swift, Kirosh, BSQ and
Bantu among others. It snakes its way out of the Market and past the Club House
Pub, the Hotel and the K1 garden until you reach the auto exit where one finds
almost 100 metres of brick wall all covered in spray-painted stories about
Nairobi, Kenyan Independence and one special Kenyan hero.
The central
image on the wall, and the one Sammy Kahama is most proud of, is an exquisite larger-than-life
portrait of the late, great Professor Wangari Maathai painted by Bankslave (aka
Brian Esendi).
“We wanted
to commemorate Kenya’s first Nobel laureate who worked so hard to save the
trees and the environment,” said Kahama. “Just look at what’s been happening to
our forests since she left us. So this wall is our tribute to her,” he added.
There are
several artistic touches to the Club House and Market that also have an
immediate appeal. The colorful flag-like streamers above the Market’s
hand-carved entrance sign send out a silent signal that this is where the
action is.
Then there’s
the long corridor past the picnic-tabled pub with its high vaulted ceiling covered
in bright beautiful umbrellas hung upside down. Kaz claims having come up with this
gracious accent that offers one more welcoming sign implicitly rousing
curiosity as to what comes next.
That’s when you
see all the assorted tables, some with spicy sauces and dips, others with cotton
and hessian cushions stuffed with Mitumba t-shirts and finally, the wind chimes
made out of everything from stainless steel spoons, metal pipes and pastel
colored glass.
All told,
the quirky assortment of artsy venders makes the K1 Flea Market a Sunday
afternoon ‘must’ just because you’ll never know in advance what original items
that will be on hand to feast one’s eyes or tummy on.
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