Lessons from mobile art school

Lule has always wanted to become an artist. In August, he will travel to Nairobi to participate in an art exhibition at the RaMoMa Gallery. He is fascinated by this prospect and hopes this will open more doors for him.

Though he still finds time to play football with his schoolmates, James Karanja says he derives a lot more satisfaction by drawing.

Corruption is one his favourite themes. Another student, Eliud Maina, is a whiz at collage and commits four hours every weekend to create these works.

He has made collages of renowned people such as US President Barack Obama and Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The students have found joy in the fact that exhibitions usually associated with established artists nowadays offer them a platform to showcase their works.

From April 11 to April 15, Mask exhibited children’s artwork at Siragusa Gallery in Chicago, US.

The exhibition was organised by Mask’s Artists4Aid and Georgiana Phua, an artist who had spent four weeks in Laikipia and Naivasha teaching arts to the youth. Two students earned enough to pay their school fees.