Jak Katarikawe (Ugandan, 1938)
Untitled, between 1999-2001
Signed ‘JAK KATARIKAWE’ (lower left)
60 x 86.5cm
Oil on paper
Ksh 400,000-600,000
US$ 4,500-6,800
Sold Ksh 422,640
Provenance: private collection
One of East Africa’s pioneer artists, Katarikawe’s was born in Uganda but has lived in Kenya for many years. Combining painting and storytelling, he paints his dreams where man and creature co-exist; where animals take on human traits and appearance.
Katarikawe gained exposure through Ruth Schaffner of Gallery Watatu. Today he is one of East Africa’s best-known artists. Extensively collected and internationally acclaimed, Katarikawe’s visions of village life have been exhibited in Africa, Europe and the USA. Katarikawe has received widespread international attention that was heightened further on publication of a catalogue by Joanna Agthe and Elsbeth Court that accompanied a retrospective touring exhibition in Germany.
His work has been exhibited in Uganda, Denmark, Belgium, Kenya, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, UK, USA and USSR and comes up at auction occasionally. Retrospectives of his work have been held at the Nairobi Gallery, National Museums of Kenya, Gallery Watatu in 2005, 2011 and 2014.