Mwangalio Tofauti

Mwangalio Tofauti* is a photographic exhibition currently running at the Nairobi Gallery next to Nyayo House. This exhibition is an installation of nine photographic perspectives from Kenya and one from South Africa (Black Diamonds).

This exhibition opened on the 10th of September 2010 which I attended and was blown away by what is being exhibited there and the DJ-set music from Just A Band. 

What I liked about this exhibition is that the photos are projected on the wall. So what you have to do is sit down and let the picture flip. 

Boniface Mwangi of the Picha Mtaani fame (a CNN Photo Journalist recipient mind you!) brings out a vivid account of what happens during the night in Nairobi through an on going Kwani? project called 24Nairobi. (Although some of his pictures could not be displayed because the head of gallery judged them to be inappropriate!). You can find some of this projects work on 24nairobi website.

Nairobi at night

Nairobi downtown

Antony Kaminju a former photoeditor with the Nation Newspapers and now a lecturer in South Africa show cases the transformation that is taking place in South Africa. This is through his installation of 'The Black Diamonds of Soweto' which show cases how South African society has changed through the pictures of patrons of Panyaza Chesa nyama ('cook the meat') in Soweto Township, south of Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Rock Soweto

''Most of the patrons are young black South Africans with a good bank balance to spend on entertainment - the marketing world calls them "black diamonds". They come here in droves every Sunday afternoon wearing the latest fashion labels and sunglasses; the girls walk about as though on a catwalk. Many of them have moved to the suburbs, but come back to the township to party. They drive here in sunroof BMWs, new Mini coopers, and top-of-the-range 4x4s. The cars are spotlessly clean and some have been fitted with 15 inch subwoofers. Hip hop music blasts from the cars; everyone dances.''-Antony Kaminju

Soweto party

Barbara Minishi experiments portraits from Cyrus Kabiru who has his own unique line of eye glasses. You can catch his line of eye wear which are being exhibited at Alliance Francaise Until 26/09/2010.

Futuristic?

Hi!

Guerrilla? 

You can catch a glimpse of this and other photo journalists such as Jakub Barua, James Muriuki, Jim Chuchu, Miriam Syowia Kyambi, Sam Hopkins, Wambui Mwangi at Nairobi Gallery until 12/12/2010.

Event poster

This exhibition brings together Kenyan photographers and artists who navigate between art and documentary photography. Among them are: Antony Kaminju, Barbara Minishi, Boniface Mwangi, Jakub Barua, James Muriuki, Jim Chuchu, Miriam Syowia Kyambi, Sam Hopkins, Wambui Mwangi.

The show is displayed in an unconventional and powerful way of photography exhibition: as projected images.

This Exhibition has been organised by Goethe Institute in cooperation with the National Museums of Kenya

* Different Perspective

NB: I hope this title has some inspiration drawn from the passage of the new constitution as we (the people) hope to see things in different perspective.

Still on Photography!

There is this picture (above) I took on my way to work (Kilimo) which show cases Nairobi in the Morning.

There is a lot of phenomena that happen around me on my way to work and I wish I had more time to blub about it.

So today I give it up to Uhuru Park.This place is always very graceful in the morning. The green grass and the serene pool (with occasional ducks) are always a great way to welcome the day plus, the ever cheerful Italian who is in charge of the boat business in the park who is always wishing the passers by a good day and ladies get to have sweets most of the time.

This peace and tranquility comes to an end as we approach a public holiday. Uhuru Park is then turned into a practice ground by the disciplined forces. And on a lucky day like today (19/05/2010) you will meet with four legged officers (Army Dogs). These guys are humongous and look more like calves! You will get the army officers who are away from the barracks gazing at the working community that they protect going to work. If you are keen you will get to see the guns they have and you can tell the gov't has been doing some shopping of late!

The other thing that amazes me is the ever presence of couples in the park. This has me thinking that CUPID resides in this joint and for the professional bachelors like me. This is a place to avoid at all costs. Unless cupid sees you passing by the park and hits you with his arrows!

Then we got them preachers who sometimes you will find pitching tent in the morning in anticipation of touching a heart that day.

Lastly the Nairobi viewing point. This is where I snapped the the above picture. This spot is mostly used by foreigners/tourist who wish to have a glimpse of Nairobi. I have been thinking of how I can set up a tuck shop up there to cope with the tourists esp. Chinese delegations that I have been seeing!

Africa Unframed Press Photography

I attended the East African FCA’s Photography exhibition at the Alliance Française on May 4^th6.30 pm, the opening date.

The East African chapter of Foreign Correspondents’ Association (FCA) is now on its fourth year in a row exhibiting at the Alliance Française from 2007.

My best highlights apart from the insightful pictures that grace the A/F walls were the voting that was done on this night. This democratic voting saw the attendees voting for Boniface Mwangi’s photo that shows a boy holding a gun take the coveted award of : Press Photo of the Year 2010.

Another thing that I liked was the awards that were up for grabs. These are miniatures that show a person taking a picture.

In future I hope some entities can come up with some cash price for the photographers.

Ps: I took my own pictures with my phone although I may NOT be a top notch wizard behind the camera. Hope it will give you a hint of what took place!

The exhibition runs from 5-31 May 2010.

Picha Mtaani

Picha Mtaani which was launched on 7/12/09 at 1000hrs outside Hilton Hotel is a collection of photos taken by Bonface Mwangi an award winning photo journalist. His photos capture the electioneering period aka campaign period, election day and post election violence that occurred after our disputed 27/12/2007 polls. Hence this pictures show a chronological account of the events before and after the polls.
I have had the occasions to see exhibition of his works before. This previous exhibitions were being held in what I would term as 'private open spaces' namely; the Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institut, The Godown and The National Museums of Kenya. Also, his pictures can be found on just a band song 2012.
However, what I like is that Picha Mtaani has embraced a new concept.This is the concept of exhibiting his photos in a public open space i.e. outside the Hilton Hotel. This gives the wider society and not the tourists or affluent persons a chance to consider his works and reflect as a nation on the events that lead to the post election violence.
This exhibition from my own perspective is that it is meant to spur us into conversations with ourselves and with one another. I could not help noticing that it had realized this objective as I went to see the exhibition on a Tuesday night (08/12/2009). I could see Kenyans from all walks of life engaging each other in conversations as to what might have possibly gone wrong.
This is a wonderful concept and I can only thank the UNDP, Picha Mtaani and the whole group behind this concept for what they are doing.