friday inspiration: the artist beatrice wanjiku

fragments of the mind by beatrice wanjiku

beatrice wanjiku

currently showing at Le Rustique

general mathenge road, nairobi

she loves, loves, loves movies. that’s by far one of her favourite pastimes. she transformed the home that she grew up in into a spacious studio space, but still keeping much of how it was when she was younger. she works in the quiet there, in this space that she describes as sacred. there, time stops and she can be completely creative, turning ideas that were playing in her mind into actual works. it is her place of “zen”. (walking into the space, i definately feel a sense of abundant creativity. i love the quiet and i am completely touched by her work.)

she’s one of the few kenyan artists i know who creates work that is so deeply emotional. it feels to me as though she somehow has received this wonderful gift of being able to give form to emotion. she explains to me that her art is her means of expression – it is where she can let out whatever she’s thinking and feeling and experiencing. art is her life’s work. she’s always known that this is what she is meant to do – she wanted to be an art ist from the time she was a child and she’s one of the rare ones who’s been able to do exactly that.

i had a chance to ask her some random questions. read on for more insight on this stunning artist… : -)

• where do you go for inspiration? inspiration can come from any source. from a song, a poem, a book one is reading or just looking out one’s window. life is the greatest inspiration. what I go through is always reflected in my work. (p.s: she reads a lot and sometimes incorporates poetry and writings that she loves into her artwork.)
• which artworks have you collected over the years? i have some richard kimathi, eric crystal, peterson kamwathi, patrick mukabi, tabitha wathuku, michael soi, and thom ogonga.
• kenyan artists whose work you like? love? enjoy? justus kyalo, kimathi, kamwathi,  xavier, mukabi, are some of my favorite artists.
• what do you love / hate about nairobi? i love that its modern and you can get just about anything you want. i hate the congestion. too many people the noise the traffic but that too is what makes it unique.
• who / what is your mortal enemy? i think i am my own worst enemy. as human beings we are more critical of ourselves. sometimes I find this to be helpful when making judgment calls but also it can be disabling.
• what’s your drink? hahaha. don’t even know how to answer this one but mmmh let me think it can be a fruit juice but most definitely tea.
• what did you want to be when you were a kid? can’t think that far back the world has changed so much and I can’t see myself following the yellow brick road anymore.
• what/ who would be your ultimate collaboration? my ultimate collaboration is yet to be realized though i have collaborated with other artists before.
• i know that you have suffered loss in your life in one way or another. in what ways has this affected/ influenced your work? my work has a soul, it’s just not the temperaments of an artist but the journey of the artist, by exploring the notion of self through the perception of the other.

check out her show currently on at Le Rustique. curated by xavier verhoest. i definately recommend it!

love, love, m

p.s: for even more about the artist, check out beatrice wanjiku on saatchi gallery online.

 

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