Peterson Kamwathi (Kenyan, born 1980)
Nchi 3 Wananchi from Nchi Yetu Series, 2004-5
Unsigned
Woodcut plate
40 x 46cm
Ksh 150,000-250,000
US$ 1,700-2,850
Sold Ksh 375,680
Provenance: private collection
For the last few years, Kamwathi has been considered one of the region’s most inventive artists, responding to the complex political and social issues around him. His work combines clear conceptual elements and rich content with technical mastery particularly of the woodcut process. Kamwathi has had several solo exhibitions, most recently at the Frost Museum, Miami in 2013 and his work is in many international collections. He has participated in numerous international workshops and residencies including printmaking at the London Print Studio in 2006, Art Omi International artist residency, New York in 2009 and as a Civitella Ranieri fellow in 2012.
‘Nchi Yetu’ is a series of six limited edition woodcuts created between 2004-5 looking at what the artist considered then to be the constituent components of a nation: the people, the flag, the currency; the political party is represented by hand sign icons, commerce is represented by barcode icons and death is represented by coffin icons. These symbolic icons are presented around the body of a cow or bull.