RICHARD KIMATHI | HEAVEN IS DRY
THE AFRICA CENTRE, 66 GREAT SUFFOLK ST, LONDON, SE1 0BL
Born 1971 in Nyeri, Kenya.
Richard Kimathi studied graphics at the Creative Art Centre in Nairobi and subsequently joined Kuona Trust. He currently lives and works in his studio in Malaa, southeast of Nairobi. Kimathi is always exploring and experimenting. He has a unique expression, camouflaging an empathetic portrayal of the circumstances of the common Kenyan in caricature-like reductionism: the suffering, privately worn and stoically borne, as if simply the price of life. Invisible to the sleepy eye, this sensitivity permeates the entire body of his work. His practice also highlights the often-overlooked issue of male mental health struggles, and the societal pressures to appear tough while dealing with depression or substance abuse.
Kimathi exhibits regularly at One Off Contemporary Art Gallery. He represented Kenya in the Dak’art Biennale in Senegal in 2006 and the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017.
Almas thanks One Off Contemporary Art Gallery and Richard Kimathi Studio for generously loaning the works in this exhibition.
23-30 April 2024
Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 10:00-18:00
Sun 10:00-16:00