Simultaneous Exhibition - Ehoodi Kichapi 'Kichapi's Back'
Richard Kimathi Exhibition
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One Off is pleased to present Richard Kimathi 'Rocky Roads' An exhibition of sculptures and paintings Opens Saturday 29 May - 20 June 2021
Gallery Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10am - 4.30pm Please note that masks are mandatory around the gallery. |
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About the exhibition
'Rocky Roads', Richard Kimathi's exhibition of his latest body of hauntingly moving art, opens on Saturday 29th May at One Off.
The show explores the impact of Covid 19 on the everyday lives of Kenyans. From the dejected vendors in the empty market series to the mammoth mountain of masks being pushed by the garbage man, Kimathi documents a world changed in the most extraordinary manner. And then there's the 'Mid Day Party' referencing our inability to gather in the evenings due to the punitive curfew. The subtle disposition of each of the attendees makes for uncomfortable viewing. There is the 'bring your own bottle' issue where some have alcohol and some do not. Some will notice the man with his plastered leg, flexing his foot free of the constraints of the sandal. Kimathi is indeed a keen observer of human nature, in all its manifestations and this doesn't always make for happy interpretation, although the viewer always feels that the painter is benign in his rendition. Consistent in all his work is the feeling of Kimathi's all encompassing humility. There is never any sense of judgement, just a portrayal of Richard's world as he sees it, in his unique way.
Kimathi's practice highly original in that he has developed a signature style of painting canvas cut outs which are in turn pasted onto a painted canvas ground. The process adds to the three dimensional quality of the paintings.
In addition to his paintings, Kimathi is exhibiting stone sculptures for the first time in a solo show. These are wonderfully expressive busts carved from Nairobi Blue Stone and faintly coloured with a subtle wash of paint. The effect is mesmerising.
The show explores the impact of Covid 19 on the everyday lives of Kenyans. From the dejected vendors in the empty market series to the mammoth mountain of masks being pushed by the garbage man, Kimathi documents a world changed in the most extraordinary manner. And then there's the 'Mid Day Party' referencing our inability to gather in the evenings due to the punitive curfew. The subtle disposition of each of the attendees makes for uncomfortable viewing. There is the 'bring your own bottle' issue where some have alcohol and some do not. Some will notice the man with his plastered leg, flexing his foot free of the constraints of the sandal. Kimathi is indeed a keen observer of human nature, in all its manifestations and this doesn't always make for happy interpretation, although the viewer always feels that the painter is benign in his rendition. Consistent in all his work is the feeling of Kimathi's all encompassing humility. There is never any sense of judgement, just a portrayal of Richard's world as he sees it, in his unique way.
Kimathi's practice highly original in that he has developed a signature style of painting canvas cut outs which are in turn pasted onto a painted canvas ground. The process adds to the three dimensional quality of the paintings.
In addition to his paintings, Kimathi is exhibiting stone sculptures for the first time in a solo show. These are wonderfully expressive busts carved from Nairobi Blue Stone and faintly coloured with a subtle wash of paint. The effect is mesmerising.
Preview of Works
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Exhibition openings are usually on the last Saturday of every month, excluding December.
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