I have to thank Kenyan artist Kaafiri Kariuki for allowing me to use this image of his painting in my dissertation defense earlier this year. The image exquisitely captures what i wanted my writing to convey, that i'm writing about Globalization and the African Renaissance, specifically Kenyan contemporary art and its transformation over a half century. Yep, that's what i did, focusing on 'jua kali' or informal sector work as what Raymond Williams calls an 'emerging cultural practice'.... so i focus on artists like Kaafiri who are independent spirits and cultural workers who i describe as 'jua kali artists'. More on all this in future blogs. I still have to get comfortable blogging my 'stuff'....i only want to blog information that is informative, useful to others, especially to the artists and insightful. I hope to make a practice of featuring incredible Kenyan artists like Kaafiri in days to come.
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