RP-Department of Art and Design

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    Use of Realism as Social Commentary on Specific Subject Matter in Painting: An Analysis of the Realist Paintings of Zephania Lukamba, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
    (EANSO, 2024-05) Kamau, Wango
    The creation of any work of art often has a purpose or an intent. In this regard, artists endeavour to create pieces of artwork that bear or propagate certain meanings or points of view and also express some social phenomena that are unique to a particular environment or what has often been referred to as a catchment area. This is usually an important artistic undertaking because artists have the innate responsibility to observe certain social peculiarities and visually record them for all their worth. Some of these peculiarities are a reflection of society and its circumstantial behavioural tendencies often brought about by various factors; such as social-economic malaise and bad governance that precipitates social decay. When an artist embarks on such an artistic depiction of his or her own social environment, then there is a need to give it due artistic attention. This study featured 22 paintings based on the subject matter of the overloading of vehicles. Although the paintings appeared generally alike in terms of layout and execution, it is the depiction of the paradox of the repeated occurrence of the same phenomenon which in reality reflects a tendency that is both widespread and bizarre. In this regard, each painting depicts a scene that in reality is in itself a specific curious occurrence. This, in retrospect, can be seen as a type of popular culture of defiance and of the absurd. Since the overloading of any vehicle is ordinarily not only unwarranted and dangerous, but also blatantly illegal, the artist, in his observations which constituted this study, depicts a societal problem that has degenerated into impunity. This study, therefore, sought to find out how effective such focused paintings were as an avenue for social commentary. The artist over a period of time observed incidents of overloading as they manifested themselves in real-life occurrences and made the necessary sketches that were later developed into paintings in the studio. The paintings were examined using formal analysis to delve into their composition and use of elements and principles as well as descriptive analysis to explore their meaning or what the artist intended to convey. The study posits that the essence of such focused paintings in this study is that they become a visual pointer to the wider debate about the debilitating effect of such social malaise upon the psyche of society. The ordinary citizenry subsequently becomes spectators in their own space that degenerates into such recklessness and disregard for individual and collective safety as well as the rule of law.
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    The Dynamics of Art and Craft Curriculum in Enhancing Child Growth and Development
    (East African Journal of Education Studies,, 2020-08) Ogutu, Wanyama
    As the government of Kenya is geared towards achieving sustainable development goals and Kenya Big 4 Agenda, the Ministry of Education rolled out the new education system 2-6-3-3-3 dubbed “Competence Base Curriculum” whose mission is to nurture every learner’s potential. It received overwhelming appraisal from different stakeholders;- locally and internationally eliciting debates in the local media, radio and television talk shows. Prior to this bold step in the curriculum, the government of Kenya set up various taskforces to review the 8.4.4 curricula in 1992, 1995, 2002, 2009 and 2011, reviewed by the late Professor Douglas Odhiambo which asserted the atrocities of children not developing to their full potential and its negative effect in threatening the realization of Kenya Vision 2030. The paper has established diverse ways in which the curriculum in art and craft is enhancing the growth and development of a child’s emotional, physical, cognitive, and creativity. It has hypothetical employ qualitative analysis to examine art and craft in terms of the art stages of growth and development of a child. Further, the paper has briefly observed that naturalistic child growth and development of Leonardo Da Vinci - (A high renaissance artist of 14th century)- and the researcher’s teaching experience, as the case study and scope. It has concluded that any curriculum design ought to consider art and craft because it has an inherent psychological and development power that develops a child into full potential.
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    Use of Elements and Application of Principles of Art and Design in the Creation of Pictorial Compositions among Fine Art Students at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
    (EANSO, 2024) Wango, Kamau
    In the creation of any work of art, whether in two or three dimension, the use of elements and principles is fundamental. It has been acknowledged across ages that the purpose of the creation of any work of art is to create some form of defined meaning or express some artistic phenomenon. It has also been acknowledged that elements and principles have a symbiotic relationship. In examining the paintings and drawings presented by students, this study seeks to explore the relationship between elements and principles as they are applied in the paintings and drawings to determine the effectiveness of this synchrony in terms of visual enhancement and the eventual creation of meaning. The study features students' work at various levels where they spontaneously created their paintings and drawings with focus on the use of elements and principles. However, their usage and application were spontaneous and not geared towards specific responses, which was necessary for the outcome of the study. From preliminary enquiry, it emerged that although students had received adequate tutorials about the use of elements and principles in the creation of artwork, they did not apply them from an academic perspective but instinctively. It was therefore envisaged that focusing on the quality of their work would ultimately yield better results about their comprehension of the use of elements and principles as featured in their work. This study, therefore, used the execution and analysis of their practical work as testimony to their comprehension. The selection of 35 presentations, including black and white pencil drawings, provided a wide spectrum and depicted how students used and understood the application of both elements and principles and were deemed adequate for the study. The paintings featured the use of colour as an integral element, and the pencil drawings were strong in depicting textural effects and using value. The presentations featured different subject matter which was important for the creative essence of work.
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    Creation of Indoor Sculptures Using Metal and Glass Inspired by Selected Swahili Kanga Inscriptions
    (EANSO, 2024) Atieno, Onyiso Sachbear; Muoki, Matthews; Wango, Kamau
    The ‘Kanga’, a colourful printed cloth wrapper, is one of Kenya’s coastal region’s most well-known cultural items and has deep cultural, historic and economic significance. In their creation, the Kangas contain inscriptions on them that propagate sayings, proverbs, and pithy phrases in Kiswahili. The inscriptions are located on the lower border and are frequently surrounded and highlighted by various patterns or background colours. The Swahili inscriptions not only impart specific messages to the viewer but are also used to convey feelings, thoughts, and inspire. Despite sculptures being traditionally used as avenues for artistic expression based on many sources of inspiration, this study found no evidence to indicate that Swahili Kanga inscriptions have been used as inspirations in the creation of sculptures in Kenya. It is envisaged that it is possible to extract meaning from inscriptions and interpret the embedded meaning through a three-dimensional artistic genre such as sculpture from which viewers can draw meaning and visually subscribe to. In view of this gap, this study sought to develop the creation of indoor sculptures placed in public spaces that derived their creative inspiration from selected Swahili inscriptions printed on the Kanga. The sculptures were executed using a combination of metal and glass. The proverbs used in this study were already documented and published and the inherent meaning was therefore already transcribed. Creativity of the artist was applied to generate ‘visual meaning’ based on visual interpretation derived from and responsive, as much as possible, to the meaning contained in the proverb itself. However, the proverbs were purposively selected to best navigate and demonstrate the interpretation process from written to visual. Hence, this study applied an exploratory research design in exploring Swahili inscriptions on Kanga. The paper presents data on sculptural idea development and creation of indoor sculptures.
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    ‘Foundations of Landscape Painting’ – Colour Application, Textural Effects and Development of Holistic Composition. Analysis of Selected Landscape Paintings by Second Year Students at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2022-07) Wango, Kamau
    Landscape painting is a popular undertaking among students, particularly those taking formative painting units, some of whom have never used prescribed media such as watercolours, oils or acrylics; and others who have not been exposed to painting at the university level. In one of the second-year painting units where students study colour and its application, they are required to paint landscapes in watercolours and either acrylics or oils. Landscape painting gives them the opportunity to study and apply colour on paper or canvas since landscapes and other outdoor painting studies provide them with a very useful reference resource in terms of colour, colour tones, the transient effect of light and shadows as well as the natural environment that presents colours in their true natural setting. Landscape painting is perhaps one of the most profound opportunities for students to get acquainted with natural colours and their interrelationships before venturing into any other genre of painting where they actively apply colours and their properties for other purposes of expression. Apart from interaction with colour, landscape painting offers the students an added opportunity to delve into other aspects of pictorial composition. Landscapes as a reference resource provide a natural setting that showcases clear placement of many aspects of a pictorial composition that the students can relate with. These include the formal elements such as colour itself, line, shape, texture, value as well as masses and spaces. They are also able to apply the principles of art and design such as balance, harmony, centre of interest, perspective and rhythm. In this study, second year painting students studying colour were exposed to landscape painting for the first time as they studied colour and its application. The basic projection was that they were not expected to produce outstanding work. They were, however, taken through the basic tenets of landscape painting including pictorial composition, application of elements and principles of art as well as the essence of observation. They were expected to work outdoors but were also allowed to use referent photographs in circumstances where they found them useful. They also worked independently and were allowed to select their medium from either watercolours, acrylics or oils. This paper examines how students responded to their task and how they approached the skill of observation, interpreted the application of colour and its qualities and dealt with pictorial composition. This is important because as it turned out, the students were very sensitive to how their landscapes ‘appeared’ and their ability to showcase what they observed. Ultimately, they were eager to determine whether their paintings were appealing to their classmates and by extension, to the viewers. Even though they were painting landscapes for the first time and some were handling some media for the first time, before embarking on their work, their attention was drawn from the onset to the use of textural effects, colour tones, perspective and details of the foreground, the fading background, nature of the sky and the effect of the transient light and shadows. They were encouraged to work outdoors as much as possible and finalize their work in their rooms. Beyond this, the students were given their space to work, with only the necessary comments that aimed at helping them retain their focus on certain pertinent points. This paper selects and features sample landscape paintings that underscore how a cross section of the students dealt with the formulation of landscape painting and the extent to which they were successful.
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    Re-configuring the Rights to Education through Play with Painting and Clay Modelling among Children Affected by the Psychosocial Effects of the Covid19 Pandemic
    (EANSO, 2023-08) Ogutu, Wanyama
    The devastating COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the closure of all schools for nearly a year, violated articles 43(1)f, 53(1)b, and 55(a) of Kenya’s 2010 constitution on the right to education. The Government of Kenya deprived UNDP-SGDs (2015) of goals on quality education and UNICEF (2018); Every Child Learns when enforcing the social distance policy, a direction of World Health Organization (WHO) (2020) preventive measures. Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF (2018) cautioned that any attempt to inhibit child learning’s welfare, such as play, would harm growth and development in early childhood. Modern educationalists have asserted that play with art plays a role in cognitive and social learning as an extension of recreation and elaboration of their conflicts. The paper aims to reconfigure rights to education on play with paintings and clay modelling among children affected by the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher has focused on descriptive desktop research design art bases research activities such as playing with painting and clay modelling; it has examined the literature on psychoanalysis tools to create a discussion on the paper. The paper acknowledged the mission of WHO (2020), UNDP-SDGs (2015), UNICEF (2018), and Article 53(1)d of the Kenyan 2010 Constitution on Good Health for All Children. It has merited play with painting and clay modelling as a profound tool to re-configure rights to education among children affected by the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the paper suggested a campaign workshop or seminars for play with painting and clay modelling to champion the right to education among children in schools.
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    Korean and Maasai Ink-Painting Artwork Fusion and Domains
    (CEDRED, 2023) Hwa, Kim M.; Wango, Kamau; Gimode, Khadi
    This study sought to explore the hybridization of the Korean and the Maasai art painting in order to create an artistic interface that translates into new painting or what can be described as ‘new art’. Historically, Korea is a highly literate society, therefore ink was an automatic ingredient and readily available resource. In contrast, the Maasai have had an oral culture for the longer part of their history and hence their painting is more practical in orientation. Moreover, the philosophy behind the perception and appreciations of colours by the two art communities under study are also different. Scholars on paintings have observed that new and authentic art paintings could be accomplished when at least two societies' ways of life are hybridized in one painting. Hybridization in art happens when material of ways of life such as when rites of passage from the two communities blend to make new artistic forms. The main objective of this article is to illustrate hybridization of painting approaches and rendition by combining Korean and the Maasai domains of ink-painting images; and to demonstrate the artistic interface between Korean and Maasai paintings by fusing their major tenets to yield new inter-cultural art. The article is anchored on Csikszentmihalyi's (1988a) systems theory. Further, this article employed exploratory research design to collect data on domains for analysis. The outcome is fusion of the paintings that show hybridized new art forms. It is envisioned that this article is a contribution to the genesis of an art movement involving domains of diverse cultural art communities such as Korea and Kenya, and perhaps the rest of the world.
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    Painting in Oils’ – Refinement of Skill and Personal Style through the Study of Birds. Analysis of the Work of Zephania Lukamba, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
    (EANSO, 2023) Wango, Kamau
    The gradual acquisition and constant refinement of artistic skills in whatever genre of art are important for the ultimate development of personal styles that enable artists and students alike to fully engage in their artistic endeavours. The development of personal style in painting is particularly important in this regard and it is inextricably intertwined with the development of the prerequisite painting skill. It can be argued that there are two critical stages in the holistic development of personal skill in painting; there is the stage of acquisition of skill and the subsequent stage of refinement of skill. The stage of acquisition of artistic skill is perceived to be the period where skill is gained, attained, and consolidated including the time spent in formal art school. Consolidation of skill includes the harnessing and organizing of underlying or embedded artistic talent. The stage of refinement of artistic skill is perceived to be the period where acquired artistic skill enters the realm of refinement. Although these stages obviously tend to overlap, there is a point where one ‘feels’ by virtue of acknowledgeable work that he or she has acquired the prerequisite or commensurate skill to be able to perform specific artistic tasks and that that prerequisite skill only needs to be subsequently refined over time. The wider concept of the development of personal style itself lacks such demarcation of time and definition since it is always evolving and adapting to new challenges, innovations and environments and is, therefore, seen to be lifelong rather than time specific. In examining the featured oil paintings, this paper seeks to explore the concept of refinement of skill and determine whether or not there occurs significant visual refinement of skill within a time period of four continuous years, the time frame within which the paintings were created. The artist, who is a Masters student at Kenyatta University, undertook the paintings of birds as a matter of personal artistic interest over the said period of time and did not have prior knowledge of an impending specific study of his work in this regard. Subsequently, the level of skill, technique and personal style as displayed in the paintings were both spontaneous and authentic. In the initial review of the paintings and other prior work by the artist, the study determined that the artists had attained the level of skill necessary to be classified as having surpassed the stage of ‘acquisition’ of artistic skill and was, therefore, no longer seeking to acquire painting skills for purposes of undertaking his work. Subsequently, the focus of the study shifted to the realm of refinement. The number of paintings featured (34), painted randomly over time, that is, without any prior reference to or inclination towards the visual interest of the study, was determined to be sufficient to extract the desired outcome. In addition, the paintings were created as a matter of the artist’s sustained personal interest in the study of various types of birds; their colours, shapes, forms, textures, and environment. Although the artist engaged in other types of paintings within the same time frame, the study, however, selected the artist’s own sustained interest in the subject of birds as a matter of consistency of subject matter and its renditions.
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    ‘Foundations of Still-Life Painting’ – Colour Application, Textural Effects and Development of Holistic Composition. Analysis of Selected Still-Life Paintings by Second Year Students at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2023) Wango, Kamau
    Still-life painting as a formative painting unit is important in enabling students to interact with elements of art in the arrangement of specific static objects that form a precise composition. This arrangement of objects in composition is essential in helping students to comprehend the concept of composition in creative work. Since they are dealing with arranged, static objects as opposed to flowing figures and other fluid or gestural forms that suggest movement as would be the case in regular painted pictorial compositions, a still-life composition provides an opportunity to apply the principles of art in a concise way. This in turn underscores the compositional essence of each element as it relates to any principle, the interrelation of which formulates the composition itself. It is envisaged that the execution of a good still-live composition shall assist students to apply the same compositional tenets in regular paintings. For instance, students are henceforth aware of the application of comparative proportions, the use of textural effects, illumination, shadows, balance, and placement of objects on the picture plane, as well as colour contrasts, harmony, and tones. This paper examines how students engage with still-life painting, arrangement of objects and the wider notion of composition. Since this unit provides the first opportunity for this engagement, the paper specifically seeks to determine the extent to which students internalize and subsequently apply, through visual depiction, the interrelationships between objects, their proportions, the use of perspective to create depth, textural effects, application of colours and colour tones, shadows, the effect of light and its sources, drapery, compositional base as well as the usefulness of backgrounds. In order to attract their interest, sustain their attention and enhance their creativity, the students were allowed to choose, assemble, and arrange their own objects in creating their still-life compositions. Unlike the traditional approach where students draw or paint a similar set of objects arranged before them, this alternative approach of painting objects of their choice eliminated the possibility of unnecessary comparison of work at this stage and instead provided the students with the opportunity to paint objects that actually fascinated them and spurred their imagination. Students’ attention was drawn to the visual difference between a regular, painted pictorial composition and a still-life composition. A regular pictorial composition comprises of undulating features that show movement or is expressive of a phenomenon be it the study of nature and the environment or an aspect of personal expression or social commentary. A still-life composition is static and shows only interrelationships between objects. Students were free to use watercolours, oils or acrylics and their respective materials and tools. The researcher then selected paintings that best demonstrated this internalization and suggested indicators of artistic skill at this formative level.
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    Personal Style in Portraiture Painting – ‘Visual Dialogues With Water’ Analysis of the Portraiture by Eddy Ochieng
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2020) Wango, Kamau
    Portraiture is arguably one of the most celebrated genres of art and artistic expression through the ages. Artists have always sought to create depictions of themselves in self-portraits as well as the depiction of sitters through in-person posed sessions, referencing, or imagination. They have also used portraiture for artistic expression particularly when aiming to depict human feelings and emotions for the practical reason that human expression itself is synonymous with facial expression. It is only through the study of physical facial expression that an artist is able to derive artistic expression in a continuum that ranges from extreme joy signified by laughter to extreme distress, signified by tears. In between the continuum is a whole retinue of feelings and emotions, such as amusement, happiness, irritation, anger, sorrow, despair, fear, anxiety, sadness, and many other human manifestations that emanate from life’s experiences. Apart from the obvious outer facial expressions, there are also the innate expressions that underscore personality and character that artists wish to unearth, study, and explore in their subjects. To execute and achieve these expressions in portraiture, the artist uses selected media, styles, and techniques that best suit the desired objective. This paper posits that there exists a correlation between individual style and the effectiveness of the intended purpose of portraiture where effectiveness applies to the communicative or expressive value of a portrait as well as its overall acclaim. It must be noted that there is no portraiture that lacks intent, be it portrayal of likeness from selfportraits or sitters or portraits derived from photographs, thematic referencing that leads to the depiction of certain facial expressions in subject matter or creating portraiture from imagination including surrealistic inspirations. When certain portraiture is at times perceived as not being effective in terms of its intent, it is fair to conclude that this may often be as a result of the personal style of the artist or its execution being incompatible with the intended purpose. Hence viewers fail to see or extract what was intended for them to decipher essentially because they are distracted by the personal style. In the same token, when portraiture is seen to be effective, it is often presupposed that this is a result of the personal style of the artist and its execution being deemed compatible with its intended purpose. Hence to a significant extent, the viewer is able to extract this purpose because they are aided by rather than distracted by the style and specifically, personal stylistic rendition. This paper examines the portraiture of Eddy Ochieng, an outstanding Kenyan hyperrealist in order to ascertain whether there exists this visual correlation between his personal style and the intent of his portraiture. He embraces the hyperrealism style featuring some selfportraits as well as of others derived from photographs. The inquiry is whether this style delves into any other meaning other than the quest for the photographic representation of likeness and whether the likeness itself is effectively extracted.
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    Exploration of Human Figure Drawings Using Charcoal Pencil - Analysis of Post-Graduate Drawings by Zephania Lukamba
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2021) Wango, Kamau
    Human figure drawing is undertaken and ultimately used for a number of purposes. Artists use it to continually sharpen their skills in order to apply it in the execution of their work in artistic disciplines that pertain to self-expression. Students and other groups as well as individuals embark on human figure drawing in order to acquire and horn their skills for purposes of artistic development that is then applied ultimately to their respective artistic endeavours. However, the drawing and acquisition of skills is a process and people render their human figure drawings to different levels of success and finesse at any given stage. In this process, one draws human figures using certain prescribed guidelines. It is expected that as one works within this process, particularly in a formal learning environment like studio-based work, following these guidelines become essential and helpful in attaining a proportional and accurate human figure drawing. In analysing the featured work executed on toned paper, this paper seeks to determine the extent to which the artist applies the basic tenets of human figure drawing and whether the drawings themselves attain this threshold. The analytical framework includes the depiction of correct proportions, the study of gestures, the suggestion of movement and application of value. Within the development of personal style, the artist specifically explores the effect of charcoal pencil on toned paper as his medium of choice. His methodology includes the application of a variety of tones and the use of focused illumination upon pertinent areas in the drawings to create deliberate effects that highlight the drawings, enhance gestures, suggest movement and add dynamism to the drawings. The drawings include photograph referenced male and female figures as well as separate studies of hands and fee
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    Thematic Approach and Derivation of Subject Matter as an Avenue for Expression and Expressiveness in Painting: Analysis of Selected Paintings By Kenyan Contemporary Artists in Nairobi, Kenya
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2021) Wango, Kamau
    In painting, just like in other disciplines of art, a thematic approach is often applied by artists in their work because themes define all aspects of human endeavour. A thematic approach is also important in the derivation of subject matter that artists ultimately pursue in their work. It can be said that any painting that is executed can be compartmentalised to fit within a given thematic pattern. Artists often, but not always, actively consider the essence of the theme itself; at times, they instinctively or spontaneously express something on canvas. It is presumed that the ‘intent of the artist’, at any given time, is to depict or express some phenomenon that is derived from the intricacies of human endeavour, behavioural traits, experiential sources, or from an individual’s own emotions and feelings. Ideally, a subject matter emanates from a particular theme, but it is also generally acknowledged that artists do not always necessarily base their work on a theme as a springboard to their core intent, but that the theme ultimately emerges by implication. A theme is too broad to be compressed into a single pictorial composition and, hence, each theme is interpreted into a retinue of ideas by cohorts of artists. A theme, by its description, is also not explicit because it is a guiding or emanative factor; therefore, it is often implied. It would be unusual, however, that an artist fails to put in perspective his or her thematic foundation in describing the final piece of work because artworks always have some thematic connotation even if it is not deliberately intended by the artist. In this regard, there are some kinds of artworks that bear weighty thematic foundations and others that bear some form of useful thematic content embedded in their meaning. This paper seeks to determine the extent to which the concept of the thematic approach is used by artists to derive subject matter in their painting and whether their subsequent paintings are, therefore, theme-specific or are as a result of creative spontaneity. Further, it seeks to find out the nature of the subject matter, the artist’s motivation and inspiration and whether the resultant paintings are effective in rendering the intended visual message to the audience. A powerful theme is not necessarily a fundamental prerequisite for powerful artwork since artworks are rendered differently by different people, but a powerful artwork is often a good indicator of a potent theme. This paper also examines the stylistic approach, content and context applied by the artists in their paintings. The paintings featured in this paper are those done by some of the contemporary Kenyan artists working independently at different studio locations in Nairobi, Kenya. They were identified and interviewed by fourth-year students at Kenyatta University in their study of the local art scene as part of their wider development of individual painting styles
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    Role of Statues in the Artistic Commemoration of African Political Leaders: Analysis of 20 Selected National Statues in African Countries.
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2021) Wango, Kamau
    Artistic commemoration of leaders and other iconic personalities has been in existence for centuries. Statues in particular have been used as a fitting avenue for the commemoration of political leaders and other luminaries in many fields. The premise upon which statues are made is that the subjects featured initiated and attained, in their lifetimes, concrete achievements that significantly impacted upon the lives of their fellow human beings. Other criteria for commemoration include proven integrity, dedication and selflessness in the service of the country and citizens. Statues as an integral part of public art have often generated substantial controversy on various fronts in many countries. Some of these gravitate around issues such as disputed likeness, queries about the fundamental achievements cited of the subject, at times open protests on the actions, character and integrity of the subject as well as the location of the statues. Other areas of contention include the implication of the presence of statues upon the political psyche of the country and their long-time impact on history, the youth and posterity. This paper examines the extent to which African countries have embraced this mode of artistic rendition to commemorate African political leaders in a way that is commensurate to their achievements. It is outside the scope of this paper to delve into the intricate web of back-and-forth arguments about the ‘concreteness’ of the legacies of the featured leaders who are mainly founding political figures of the respective countries. The paper, however, analyses the artistic essence of the selected statues in terms of their visual impact and whether they are indeed useful in articulating the legacies of the subjects and further, whether they ultimately bear ‘enduring visual value’ that spurs conversation and insight into these legacies. Statues must, at the very least, spur debate and conversation into the legacy of the featured subject. It becomes a form of constant interrogation as history itself takes its course; controversy is not necessarily a negative occurrence since it forms part of this discourse. The concept of immortalization, which is what initiators of statues often hope for is much harder to achieve and difficult to define. The paper examines 20 statues of African political leaders in different African Countries.
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    ‘The Soul of My Sculptures’ - A Contemplative Analysis of the Work of Naftal Mageto Momanyi
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2020) Wango, Kamau
    Despite the significant resurgence of expressive creativity through works of art in various disciplines particularly painting and sculpture, the underlying inspiration and subsequent endeavour for self-expression by artists, be it derived from experiences, observation of events and occurrences, imaginative compositions or even from the subconscious mind or surrealism, is often not very well articulated among the artistic audience or general public. This is in view of the general consensus among creative artists that works of Art are composed or created to be inherently expressive of something and hence should be given the opportunity to be seen and appreciated. It has been observed that often the artistic audience or general public only superficially examine the works of art in passing without necessarily delving into the expressive essence of the work itself. Hence the genesis of the expression, thought patterns or the philosophical foundation that underscore an artist’s inspiration and subsequent creation of that work is therefore just as often missed. If any work of art is not accorded adequate exposure and does not receive a fair amount of interrogation in terms of its creative and expressive substance or in terms of its contribution to the development of style, technique and application of materials, then that artwork runs the risk of being redundant. In addition, if this interrogation is not brought to the attention of the relevant artistic audience or articulated to the general public through exhibitions, relevant artistic fora, such as seminars, workshops and conferences, then the work amounts to a missed opportunity of its original purpose. There has been of course the debate about the nature and extent of participation by the ‘audience’ including the public and whether this audience bears the prerequisite qualification to interrogate or critique works of art including sculptural pieces. This paper does not, however, deal with this particular query. The focus of this paper is to demonstrate that sculptures are not mere embellishments but are a fundamental tool for commentary about pertinent societal issues in selected areas of endeavour. They, therefore, epitomize the artist’s point of view (POV) or opinion that underscores his or her sense of individual self-expression and hence lends credence to each piece. The paper, therefore, examines firstly, the origins of African sculptural tradition and the development of self-expression as a key tenet of form/content appreciation; and secondly the purposeful derivation of ideas from broad themes as well as the composition of specific subject matter as an avenue for the sculptor to address the retinue of societal issues. The paper covers six sculptural pieces seen from different angles created by Naftal Mageto Momanyi, a prominent Kenyan sculptor who works mainly using granite, wood and soapstone
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    ‘Matatu’ Graffiti as an Avenue for Self-Expression and Social Commentary among the Youth in Nairobi, Kenya
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2020) Wango, Kamau
    This paper seeks to examine urban Art in Kenya as an integral part of urban culture with particular emphasis on ‘matatu’ graffiti, (an off-shoot of ‘mural’ graffiti that is depicted on medium-sized vehicles used for urban public transport) as an avenue for self-expression among the youth in Nairobi, Kenya. It will also examine other forms of related art, such as the genre of painting referred to as street art and explore the genesis of themes and subject matter that interest the youth. In order to generate a chronology of thoughts, the paper approaches the above first from the broad spectrum of urban culture and what it entails and then breaks it down to one of the most critical and visible elements of urban culture which is urban Art which, in turn, encompasses many forms of visual creativity both in two dimensional and three-dimensional dispensations that manifest themselves within an urban environment. The paper delves substantively on the generation of broad themes that form the basis of varied subject matters that are regularly depicted in matatu graffiti. These broad themes often derive or emanate from sociocultural, socioeconomic, religious and political factors. The paper also examines the age bracket (herein referred to as The Youth) which embraces urban Art both in terms of its execution and its consumption as well as the underlying factors that seem to make it broadly attractive and acceptable as a means of self-expression, collective discourse and social commentary among the youth. The paper finally examines the relationship between matatu graffiti and hip-hop, a genre of music characterized by terse verbal symbolism and which is increasingly associated with urban culture and the complexities of social expression in the contemporary urban world.
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    ‘Derivation of Subject Matter/Content from Themes among University Fine Art Students - Analysis of Selected Paintings by Students at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2023) Wango, Kamau
    In certain painting unit requirements, students are expected to interpret themes and generate appropriate subject matter that ultimately expresses or depicts how they artistically interpret given themes and generate painted pictorial compositions that showcase the same. Themes are specific compartments or clusters of the description of life in its natural existence or manifestations. Themes may feature the environment, nature, manifestations, occurrences, perceptions, and philosophies that are segmented in a way that is orderly and comprehensible to human beings. Hence themes are as broad-based as the entire body of manifestations that underscore human existence, endeavours, and behaviours. Without this demarcation and description of themes, it would be difficult to understand the myriad of ways in which human beings respond to their existence. Since themes are broad and exciting from an artistic context, they are, in essence, infinite and have to be broken down into fathomable subject matter that the artist can accommodate, justify, and explain; and the audience can, subsequently, appreciate and rationalize. Fine art students are, in this regard, introduced to the importance of themes as consolidated lenses through which the world is viewed, but more importantly, the need to develop the skill of deconstructing themes into tangible subject matter or digestible content. The ability to break down themes into specific content is of importance to student artists as they learn to construct their ideas. These ideas, whether or not they bear a certain element of spontaneity, are based on some form of focused response to a given inspiration. The issue of spontaneity and precision of thematic interpretation can often be confusing to students and artists alike but while they all must be aware of the need for a thematic approach to their work, they must be at the same time mindful of the need for expressive freedom and space. This paper seeks to determine the extent to which subject matter is used by students as a strategy for expressing themselves and, further, the extent to which the content they develop within this subject matter is successfully derived from themes as a source of inspiration. The paintings featured in this paper were developed during the course of the semester at Kenyatta University and were in specific response to the derivation of subject matter from themes. The students were, however, free to interpret themes in the way they found appropriate and were not bound to depict certain contents or contexts in their work. In keeping with the general belief that paintings are themselves not necessarily based on the dogmatism or rigidity of themes in their expressiveness, and in being careful not to stifle the ability of students to express their ideas, the students were encouraged to display a level of spontaneity in their work which is a hallmark of the beauty of the painting. This paper pre-supposes, therefore, that an effective approach to the development of good paintings is found in their spontaneity just as much as it is found in the interpretation or breakdown of themes.
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    Folklinguistic Perceptions and Attitudes towards Kenyan Varieties of Swahili
    (Quality Content of Saxony [Qucosa], 2017) Githinji, Peter; Njoroge, Martin
    This paper examines the perceptions of Kenyans towards the way other Kenyans speak Swahili from a Folklinguistic perspective. The study involved two main tasks. In the first task, informants were provided with blank maps of the country and asked to identify areas where they thought there was a distinct way of speaking Swahili. In the second task, they were provided with the same map showing Kenyan’s eight provinces and asked to rank them in terms of correctness, attractiveness and closeness to the way they speak Swahili. The results show little or no difference between the rankings of correctness versus pleasantness of Swahili varieties. The study also shows that Kenyans do not identify with the normative variety modeled on the standardized or Kenyan coastal Swahili which is used in the schools or mass media. Similar to other studies in perceptual dialectology, the informants’ judgments were influenced by their background knowledge and stereotypes about different regions that have little or no relationship with linguistics factors per se. Unlike other studies in perceptual dialectology however, languages that are not the object of study have a strong influence on respondents’ perceptions. Beside the ethnic stereotypes that characterize Kenya’s multilingual discourse, Kenyans’ attitudes towards varieties of Swahili seem to be filtered through the lens of a competitive hegemonic language that has enjoyed historical advantage. As a result, the promotion of an idealized variety of Swahili in light of the dominance of English and the continued use of local languages is not likely to increase its acceptability as a national and official language.
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    ‘Painting With My Students’ – Development of Subject Matter and Refinement of Personal Styles in Selected Paintings among Fine Art Students at Kenyatta University
    (East African Nature and Science Organization, 2020) Wango, Kamau
    Students of Fine Art at the University level embark on many artistic undertakings within their semester durations as a requirement of their programme. In painting, a major objective is the development of a personal style that occurs over a period of time as each student works through the respective painting units spread out across the academic years. As they work through the units, they consolidate and refine their individual styles in readiness to begin their artistic careers in earnest, as well as enhancing their individual growth. This means that they spend a significant amount of time refining their skills as well as gaining knowledge. Another objective in painting is to help students delve into the realm of thematic interpretation in order to acquire the impetus towards an inquiry into the myriad of pertinent issues in their environment and life. This enables them to develop a rationalised personal view that in turn allows them to develop subject matter for the purpose of self-expression. Students’ work is often viewed as students’ work. This paper posits that this, however, does not necessarily denote that students, who for the purpose of this paper will be referred to as student artists, do not already possess the capacity to examine and interpret themes and extract admirable interpretations and anecdotes of self-expression. It does not imply that they do not already possess admirable painting skills even as they endeavour to further develop and refine these skills and consolidate their individual styles. It does not, subsequently, imply that what they paint lacks the capacity for significant inquiry, commentary and sense of self-expression. This paper delves into selected paintings by student Artists to determine whether their level of visual execution, construction and composition of subject
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    Assessing The Sustainability Content in Kenya’s Interior Design Curricula
    (Editon Consortium Publishing, 2022) Oduho, Rose Achieng; George, Vikiru; Mireri, Caleb
    This study aims at providing local pertinent facts on the level of sustainability content integration and pedagogical methods used to deliver Interior Design courses in Kenya's training. A systematic audit of undergraduate curricula was undertaken to understand the extent to which sustainability content was included in Kenya's Design education. Document analysis was employed to gather information from four of Kenya's University curricula for Interior Design. Heads of Design curricula from sampled Universities were also interviewed to corroborate the facts gathered from the respective universities. The data collected were analysed using descriptive methods of statistics. Findings suggest that sustainability content included in the curriculum is minimal (6.3%), yet students are more likely to adopt practises that promote a healthy indoor environment when integrated. Consequently, this significantly reduces problems linked to Sick Building Syndrome. In this regard, sustainability content should be increased in Kenya's interior design curriculum to ensure future designers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable interiors that focus on Indoor Air Quality, water efficiency, green materials and technology
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    Drawing With My Students’ - The Role of Surrealism in Self-Expression among University Art Students. Analysis of Selected Surrealistic Work by Fourth Year Students at Kenyatta University
    (International Journal of Advanced Research, 2021-02) Dr. Wango, Kamau
    Surrealistic art is one of the most engaging and intriguing art genres. Surrealism itself is considered to have been the most influential art movement of the 20th century. Started in the 1920s as a literary movement that eventually took on a visual dimension, its foundational principles have continued to influence the thought process and style of many modern artists in the realm of self-expression. In their studies of many disciplines in the art including genres of painting, drawing and sculpture, students of art at the University usually find the concept of surrealism initially difficult to decipher mainly because of the uniqueness of its own description. The dream-like imageries of surrealism are derived from dreams and the unconscious mind; hence, the students have to contend with the derivation of subject matter from an unusual source. This is challenging for most of them since they are used to formulating subject matter from a purely academic perspective and from themes that they ordinarily relate to in their environment or can easily reference. Although students embark on drawing from their first year of study, they are introduced to surrealistic drawing as a unit in their final year. With their drawing background, it is presumed that by their final year, they have attained adequate levels of drawing skills for application in any artistic challenge. This study examines, through analysis of selected works, firstly, the extent to which students are able to internalise the concept of surrealism and apply it in the construction of the artistic composition, and secondly whether their drawings demonstrate an individual capacity for self-expression and the derivation of meaning, through dream-like imageries drawn from the unconscious mind. The students were exposed to preliminary studies and examination of surrealistic work, discussions of subject matter, origination, style and technique in the course of their unit programme. For the purpose of uniformity of medium, they were instructed to work only in pencil. They were subsequently accorded adequate time and space to embark on their work with class presentations and discussions at prescribed intervals. The resultant drawings were many and varied and the ones selected are those that displayed good artistic execution and/or displayed a certain profoundness of meaning or interpretation.