Kaloki Nyamai Kenyan, b. 1985
Drawing heavily on the stories of the Kamba people his grandmother recounted, Nyamai explores how identity and the perception of the self is inflected by the past, present, and future. He works with multiple media, layering each work with rich textures that reveal various figures and abstract forms. These representations present an alternative to the flat, one-dimensional identities that are the legacy of colonialism. Nyamai turns to these textured, layered interpretations of the self and time as an antidote to the singular narrative of History that is taught as the definitive account of Kenya and its people. These works speak to daily life, past events, what justice has come to mean, and the political faultlines of postcolonial Kenya. Commenting on his own lived experience or stories that he has been entrusted with, Nyamai sees his work as part of a lineage of storytelling his grandmother and other ancestors practiced, passing on tales from one generation to another to produce an understanding of history that is complex, plural, and contradictory. His art often depicts fragments of forms that must be pieced together slowly. The viewer is called on to search through and make connections between forms, which mimics the artist’s creative process as well as how one would sift through and make meaning of the many histories storytelling produces.
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Unlimited II
Galleria Mall, Third Floor, Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast, Accra 15 Jun - 12 Aug 2023Gallery 1957 is pleased to present UNLIMITED II . The first edition of UNLIMITED in 2022 showcased works which grappled with a creative humanisation of locality and this sentiment continues...Read more -
Collin Sekajugo and Kaloki Nyamai - Layered Histories
London 28 Jul - 24 Aug 2022Gallery 1957, London, is proud to present an exhibition of new multimedia works from recent artists in residence, Collin Sekajugo (b. 1980, Uganda) and Kaloki Nyamai (b.1985, Kenya), running 28...Read more -
Kaloki Nyamai - A New Country
Accra, Gallery II, 23 Jul - 24 Aug 2021In Kaloki Nyamai’s work we are invited to question what it is to truly be in ownership of anything - borders, language, time and even self. This series of large-scale...Read more
Born in 1985 in Kitui, Kenya, Kaloki Nyamai moved at an early age to the capital of Nairobi, where he currently resides. His first creative inspirations were his mother, who worked in fashion, and his grandmother, who was a musician. It was his mother who first taught him how to draw while his grandmother would narrate stories history books do not tell. These varied early inspirations are reflected in Nyamai’s multidisciplinary repertoire, as a student of interior design and film, who later taught art classes before dedicating himself to his visual art practice.
Nyamai pursued formal training at the Buruburu Institute of Fine Arts (BiFA), and has since exhibited in a number of solo and group exhibitions in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Spain. In recognition of his talent, his work has been shown at the Kampala Biennale, Dakar Biennale, Art Paris, and the Venice Biennale.
Kaloki Nyamai will have two group exhibitions happening this summer at Gallery 1957 London and Barbara Thumm Gallery in Berlin. This Autum, the artist will hold a solo show at Keijsers Konning Gallery.
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In-Depth Feature of Gallery 1957 in The New York Times
23 Mar 2024Gallery 1957 would like to extend our gratitude to The New York Times and Ginanne Brownell for the in depth feature “From Africa to Hong...Read more -
Africa Supernova Collection Carla & Pieter Schulting
Kunsthal Kade, Amersfoort, The Netherlands 21 Sep 2023'Africa Supernova' is an extensive survey of contemporary African art featuring artworks by 125 artists from 33 African countries from the collection of Carla &...Read more
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10 Standout Booths at Frieze Seoul, Where Well-Known Western Artists Korean Up-and-Comers Rub Shoulders
Jaeyong park, Art News, 6 Sep 2023 -
“Artists foresee the future,” says Kenyan artist Kaloki Nyamai
Fablstyle, 16 Feb 2023 -
Nairobi-based artist Kaloki Nyamai brings layers of meaning to first US solo show
The Daily Morning News, Dallas, 28 Sep 2022 -
A Biennial for the Future
Louise Steiwer, Nordic Art Review, 15 Jun 2022
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East Africa goes to the Venice Biennale 2022
The East African, 26 May 2022 -
African Nations Are More Present at the Venice Biennale Than Ever—But Not Always on Their Own Terms
Rebecca Anne Proctor, Artnet, 25 May 2022 -
The Intervention in Nairobi Questioning Who’s Black Enough
Kopano Maroga, Contemporary And, 12 Feb 2019
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Art Basel Hong Kong
Giddeon Appah Amoako Boafo Kwesi Botchway Serge Attukwei Clottey Tiffanie Delune Godfried Donkor Nabeeha Mohamed and Kaloki Nyamai. 26 - 30 Mar 2024Gallery 1957 proudly presents a group exhibition showcasing leading voices from the African continent including Gideon Appah, Amoako Boafo, Kwesi Botchway, Serge Attukwei Clottey, Tiffanie...Read more -
Frieze Seoul 2023
Amoako Boafo, Kaloki Nyamai, Gideon Appah, Tegene Kunbi, Nadia Waheed, Joana Choumali, Kwesi Botchway, Turiya Magadiela 6 - 9 Sep 2023For our first presentation at Frieze, Gallery 1957 is very proud to present a group show of Amoako Boafo, Gideon Appah, Kwesi Botchway, Joana Choumali,...Read more -
Art Paris
Salah Elmur, Joshua Oheneba-Takyi, Kaloki Nyamai, Oliver Okolo 7 - 10 Apr 2022Gallery 1957 participates to the 24th edition of Art Paris held at the Grand Palais Éphémère, on the Champs de Mars in Paris, from 7th...Read more