Section1: Technical
and leave the door open. With the benefit of hindsight, I don’ t know whether that was the right approach or not.
Danda: We still don’ t know. There is a discussion at the moment that art is becoming a bit too academic, forcing theory etc. on the young artist … Rob: As a result we did very basic stuff like woodcut workshops, led by Theresa Musoke, or drawing, framing, or sculpture workshops; it was the artists who were slightly ahead who were trying to bring up the skills of those who were slightly behind. We did etching workshops- we brought Robino from Tanzania a couple of times- really beautiful etchings came out of that.
Danda: And who did that, can you remember which artists? Rob: Chain Muhandi, John Njenga, Simon Mureithi.
Danda: And who suggested who did what? The artists? Rob: It was a process where guys were coming in and offering to teach, to do workshops and very often they did but we always tried to put in new people. When we got the residency programme going in Naivasha, that allowed visiting artists to combine several weeks in Naivasha with two or three weeks back in Nairobi where there would
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be an exhibition in the gallery, and then they were asked to do a public art project- like as a payback. The challenge was to do a public art project that would bring a new audience to art, and so we took applications on the basis of whoever had a bright idea for something that would make a splash.
Danda: And some of those projects were very good …
Rob: Some of them were outrageously good: Claudette’’’’’’’’’’’- now a global star. Atta Kwami, … a fantastic guy from Jamaica..
Danda: Shez the one who did the signs, the one who went into Kenyatta market? Rob: Yes. She did the insides of shops, beauty salons. She made two beautiful pieces of work which are in the Ford Foundation offices.
Danda: So then most of the public art projects were from residencies? Rob: Yes they were, but our local artists were doing them too- Wanjau( Jackson Wanjau, not Anthony Wanjau) made the sculpture that is still at the Museum- that sculpture was a great thing. There was a fantastic woman from Thailand called Mitaya Uware Oriko. She made metal chairs which still sit in the park in Jevangee Gardens. It’ s like a half circle of them-they were inspired. Atta Kwami made a beautiful archway there too which was unfortunately temporary but it was also brilliant. Claudette made the Askari sculpture on Aga Khan Walk. Is it still there?
Danda: Yes. What exactly was that piece about? What did it say? Rob: At the house that we were lent in Naivasha, the guy assigned to guard the place was a Samburu from Isiolo. Immediately