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Tafaria Artists in Residence

Once upon a dream

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Tafari

@ Tafaria

Tafaria Artists in Residence

The Tafaria Castle (which incorporates a country lodge) was established in 2012AD in a Kenyan rural neighbourhood called Deighton Downs between the towns of Nyeri and Nyahururu. Its grounds straddle Laikipia and Nyandarua Counties and are within sight of the Aberdare Range and Mt Kenya. Tafaria’s principal goal is the transformation of this remote location and the creation of a Centre which inspires and drives positive economic, social and environmental change. Tafaria hosts the Artists-in-Residence and the only permanent outreach Kuona Trust Residency.

Kuona Trust, Centre for Visual Art is dedicated to the generation, presentation and promotion of innovative contemporar y visual arts practice in Kenya. Its artists’ studios, library, programme of exhibitions, artists’ talks, training & mentoring, education and international exchange, aims to provide opportunities for artists to develop new and experimental contemporary artwork within a context of international current practice.

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ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMME The purpose of the residency programme (in partnership with Kuona Trust) is to integrate practical art and design to deliver solution for social and economic issues. This is an initiative which links artists and designers from any part of the world with communities in Kenya with the aim of co-creatively solving local problems .

The Tafaria cHub (creative hub) artists-in-residence programme is the centerpiece of this initiative; cHub acts as a creative incubator by identifying local talent and mentoring them through a paired residency programme where established visual and performing artists, craftspeople, designers and writers develop local practice and/or business abilities with the goal of turning out independent creative practitioners and/or entrepreneurs as alternative occupational and business avenues for rural people; the programme’s complementary role is to enhance local image and prestige through exhibitions, performances, publications and media events

THE FACULTY George Waititu is a long-standing African social and market researcher and the Managing Consultant of the Africa Centre for Applied Research. He has spent more than 15 years researching social issues that affect societies in Africa.

His passion for art and its use to advance social George Waititu change led him to establish the Tafaria Castle.

Patron This establishment hosts the Art and Design Residency Programme of which he is the Patron, demonstrating his passion for not only research and evidence based strategies but also of using art and design to develop solutions for problems affecting rural communities in Kenya.

Mugendi K. M’Rithaa is an industrial designer, educator and researcher at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa.

He holds postgraduate qualifications in Industrial Design, Higher Education and Universal Design.

He is passionate about various expressions of Prof Mugendi socially responsive and responsible design, including K. M’Rithaa Participatory Design; Universal Design; and Design Director for Sustainability.

He has a special interest in the pivotal role of design in advancing the developmental agenda on the African continent.

Dr. Havi Murungi is an information designer, market researcher and design educator with work experience gained mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.

He has a PhD in Visual Communication from De Montfort University, Leicester, England.

He has taught design courses at the Technical Dr. Havi Murungi University of Kenya, University of Nairobi, Kenya, Director Brunel University, England, and University of Pretoria, South Africa.

He has worked in the advertising and graphic design industries and published on visual communication and customer service. He is the Managing Director of Havis, a design, research and agribusiness firm based in Nanyuki, Kenya.

Director of Kuona Trust Art Centre and Professional photographer, Sylvia N. Gichia has a passion for the arts and runs a successful and vibrant visual art Centre in Nairobi that is dedicated to advancing the skills and opportunities of contemporary visual artists in Sylvia Gichia Kenya and the region.

Director Sylvia is an MBA and holds a degree in Photography from the Washington School of Photography. She has been working in variety art fields for the past 13 years locally and internationally.

ARTIST’S SHOWCASE

Kevin Oduor November 2013AD

Mixed media sculpture

Wrought iron sculpture

THE STALLION

ARMY ANTS

The term horsepower is more synonymous in engineering while to the general public it translates to ‘car engine’, generator, motor cycle etc and their capability of the gadgets. Yet behind all this the animal from which the name is derived from is forgotten.

The installation of Army Ants was made from recycled materials found at the castle when part of the store was burnt down. They represent soldiers who would conquer new land and protect the King in the castle.

The idea to use discarded mechanical parts in making the head of a horse is putting the message across that the animal (horsepower) still stands supreme in spite of the lifespan of mechanical gadgets coming to an end.

It is an ongoing project that will be an installed at the castle.

Fibreglass and paper collage

TEACHERS’ BOOK The Teacher’s Book was collaboration between workers and artists from within Tafaria and the artist. The piece was commission by Tafaria foundation as a tribute to teachers for their transformative role in society.

Cyrus Kabiru November 2013AD

Recycled metal and found objects

Recycled metal and found objects

UNTITLED

THE DOOR

Usaerae. Fuga. Ut facessum intibearciis si imagni omniet elicto eatissi militias earumquis im eatemporunt quiandi tiorerum elenietur sum quatur solupta vid quae vid quos ut am fugia ent plab isquaerum sit, abo.

Usaerae. Fuga. Ut facessum intibearciis si imagni omniet elicto eatissi militias earumquis im eatemporunt quiandi tiorerum elenietur sum quatur solupta vid quae vid quos ut am fugia ent plab isquaerum sit, abo.

Rum, officate eos ute siniae plab inctorit quam coris asimus ipid ut voluptatem a aut fuga. Faccum eius doles eicae nus quae volo quiae.

Rum, officate eos ute siniae plab inctorit quam coris asimus ipid ut voluptatem a aut fuga. Faccum eius doles eicae nus quae volo quiae.

Joseph Bertiers February 2014AD

Recycled metal and found objects

WANJIKU

A public installation that sensitizes against domination by others. It is also a satirical take on the political scene in Kenya in the late ‘80s through to the ‘90’s where politicians, whom the average citizen (Wanjiku) had brought to power, ended up mistreating them.

Tumekaliwa na viongozi wetu.

Recycled metal and found objects

MAISHA

Turns and twists; maisha sio mteremko.

Lionel Garang February 2014AD

PEACOCK GATE Found on one of the perimeter gates at the Tafaria castle, the artwork represents the facial expression (sad to see you leave) of one of the security guards the artist met at the Tafraia castle and who had a great impression on his work practice.

The peacock feather appearance on one side of the gate represents disco lights. This was the artist’s attempt to recreate the scene at the Dungeon where he most commonly interacted with the guard.

Acryllic paint on iron sheets

MASKS The masks represent facial expressions of audiences who are watching a movie at a cinema or a play at an amphitheatre.

The work was inspired by the artist’s fascination with facial expressions which he translates into masks.

Acryllic paint on concrete

Rosemary Ahono February 2014AD

Acryllic paint on concrete

CLINICAL LANDSCAPE

This mural was done in collaboration with Lionel Garang.

The mural is inspired by the Aberdare ranges, which is a source of local pride. The painting depicts an imaginary place, like a dream with flower-like trees and never ending rivers and mountains, as describled by the community.

It is meant to liven up the patients’ environment at the local dispensary.

Acryllic paint on concrete

MASKS

Inspired by ancient African masks.

Meshack Oiro April 2014AD

Mixed media sculpture

GUITAR The artwork is metaphoric for Life’s rhythm. There are different rhythms in life and one has to go with the tune because if the tune is not there then the rhythm would not exist.

This is where you put rhythm into harmony in conjunction with proper moves made by the audience.

Mixed media light installation

SUNLIT

Sunlit is a permanent light installation located in the Tafaria pond. The piece is made of recycled plastic containers, which are hand-painted following a chromatic pattern, and assembled on a subtly curved metal structure.

Originally envisioned to be mounted on the water damn across the Nyambugichi Primary School, this installation intends to highlight the colours of the surrounding landscape and serve as a permanent point of reference within the local rural area.

Josefina Mu単oz April 2014AD

TEAM-OUT

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@ Tafaria

Tafaria Artists in Residence

TAFARIA CASTLE Phone: 0700 151 480 Email: info@tafaria.com

Once upon a dream

KUONA TRUST Phone: 0721 263 326 Email: info@kuonatrust.org