East Gallery | Opening reception will be during ArtWalk on Thursday, March 6, 2014 from 5pm – 8:00pm
This show features raw talent from the Slums of Nairobi, found during humanitarian work in Kenya. Works by six artists, ages 15-26, will be shown for tax-deductible purchase. Funds will provide reliable food, safe lodging, and art supplies for the artists who live in the Mukuru Slum of Kenya.
Angela Pashayan will be speaking at the opening reception at 6pm on Thursday, March 6 as part of our ongoing Artist Lecture Series.
About the Artists
Mongololoh is the eldest artist and leader of the group. At age 26, he is considered the patriarch of the Art Boyz and the only artist who received some training as a youth. He has lived on the streets of Nairobi for 20 of his 26yrs. Much like the other Art Boyz (Ras, Bobby, Ibrahim, Victor, and Brian), Mongololoh has endured many difficulties; death of family by Malaria and other illnesses, abandonment due to issues of self survival, lack of food, homelessness, drug addiction to avert hunger, lack of education beyond primary school, personal illnesses, and emotional struggles with depression, anger, and hopelessness. Moving to the slums is considered a step up from the streets; “Having dependable shelter in a community no matter how poor is better than fending for yourself on the streets”.
Mongololoh held onto his love of art, expressing himself as often as possible utilizing supplies found in trash bins near art supply stores. He shared this love with the five other young boys who were also homeless. Art became the reason to keep going, a form of therapy and potential income for the boys. They would sleep near art store trash bins for days, collecting near-empty containers of acrylic paint and damaged paintbrushes. Other brushes were hand made from animal hairs and discarded fishing line to secure the hairs together on a stick. They would take torn or damaged canvas from the streets behind hardware stores and mend it with discarded glue, often having to find a way to re-paint it white before expressing life onto it. The Art Boyz shared with me that green canvas is cheaper to purchase and readily available from a hardware store between the slums of Kibera and Mukuru. The group often beg or trade for this type of canvas.
The Art Boyz live day to day under a corrugated tin shelter approximately 6’x9′. They crowd in, huddled together, three on a make-shift twin bed and three on the ground; there is no flooring. Food is not taken every day but when money is available, the food is cooked on the floor atop a small charcoal fire.
Life is day to day for the Art Boyz, who remain happy and hopeful as long as they have their Art. There is nothing else that uplifts them, no other reason that gives them purpose. They are the only family of each other. Outside their small shelter is a rocky area where they create the art. One must walk through their indoor shelter to reach this rocky area. If I had not been bold enough to do so, I would never have found the colorful, life affirming pieces created by the spirit of the Art Boyz.
A documentary piece is currently being produced about each boy, their story, and their art. The debut to be shown at Mountainfilm in Telluride, with numerous entries in various independent film festivals locally and internationally.
