Lot-16-John-Njenga-Hippo-2
Lot-16-John-Njenga
Lot-16-John-Njenga-Hippo
John Njenga (Kenyan, 1966-1997)
Untitled 1, undated
Signed ‘signature’ (lower right)
Oil on canvas
42 x 32cm
Untitled 2, undated
Signed ‘signature’ (lower right)
Oil on canvas
38 x 28cm
Sold as a pair Ksh 90,000-150,000
US$ 1,020-1,705
Bought in
Provenance: private collection
Njenga began painting in 1991, inspired by the artistic atmosphere and success of the artists working in Ngecha Artists’ Village. Like many of the “Ngecha artists”, he took his work to Gallery Watatu where his potential was recognised He regularly exhibited there until his untimely death in 1997.
From 1993, after a group exhibition of contemporary African art in Japan, Njenga’s work seemed to mature significantly, moving away from naïve realism to surrealism and finally abstraction. Njenga took his own life in 1997.