DOCSLIB.ORG

The Challenges of Reinvigorating Democracy Through Visual Art in 21St Century Nairobi

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Challenges of Reinvigorating Democracy Through Visual Art in 21St Century Nairobi The challenges of reinvigorating democracy through visual art in 21st century Nairobi Craig Campbell Halliday 30 September 2019 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Sainsbury Research Unit for the Arts of Africa, Oceania & the Americas School of Art, Media and American Studies University of East Anglia, Norwich This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that use of any information derived therefrom must be in accordance with current UK Copyright Law. In addition, any quotation or extract must include full attribution. 1 Abstract This study examines the potential for contemporary visual art to reinvigorate democracy in 21st century Nairobi, Kenya, through an interdisciplinary investigation. The new millennium ushered in fresh hope for democratisation in the postcolonial East African country. In 2002, Daniel arap Moi’s 24 years of authoritarian rule ended. The opposition were victorious at the ballot box, instilling a belief amongst the electorate that formal political processes could bring change. However, the post-election violence of 2007/8 shattered such convictions. But, from this election result came a progressive Constitution and with it possibilities for creating change. These momentous events underscore Kenya’s topsy-turvy path towards democracy – a path whose trajectory is charted in the experience of ordinary Kenyans who believe in democracy’s value and their right to participate in politics and civil life. Artists, too, have been at the forefront of this ongoing struggle. This study draws on empirical research to demonstrate contemporary visual art’s capacity to expand ways of practising, experiencing and understanding democracy. It does so through examining a range of art forms (painting, photography, installation art, graffiti, and ‘artivism’) in gallery type settings and public urban spaces. The research makes apparent the challenges artists face which include the commercialisation and donor-driven influences within Kenya’s artworld, moments of institutional censorship and State suppression of activist initiatives. Nevertheless, the methods and techniques discussed often enabled new means of political engagement, the construction of social and political consciousness, and the expansion and animation of Kenya’s public sphere. Outcomes of this research include the potential to empower artists and cultural workers with strong evidence to inform the use of art in finding solutions to local and global issues and in promoting liberal freedoms. It has implications for policy debates, emphasising the value of art in strategies for revitalising public participation in political and civic life. 2 Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Contents................................................................................................................................................. 3 List of figures ......................................................................................................................................... 5 List of charts ........................................................................................................................................ 10 List of tables......................................................................................................................................... 11 List of abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ 11 Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................. 13 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Why Nairobi?................................................................................................................................... 16 Research framework and research questions .............................................................................. 20 The research and literature context .............................................................................................. 28 How this research was conducted................................................................................................. 33 Thesis structure............................................................................................................................... 37 Chapter One: Characteristics of democracy in Kenya ................................................................ 39 Hopes and discontent following Kenya’s independence ............................................................. 41 Agitating for democracy in the face of authoritarianism ............................................................ 42 Once the euphoria settled ‘Nothing-Actually-Really-Changed’ .................................................. 45 Elections, violence and the brink of State failure ......................................................................... 48 A new Constitution and the dawn of Kenya’s second republic ................................................... 50 Prospects for democracy following Kenya’s 2013 election ......................................................... 51 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 56 Chapter Two: Fifty years of art and change ................................................................................. 58 Subversive murals during the Mau Mau uprising ........................................................................ 60 ‘Kenya, where are we going?’ ........................................................................................................ 63 State investment in visual art ........................................................................................................ 70 Art by and for the people ............................................................................................................... 75 Democracy on the march ............................................................................................................... 81 A new-found spirit of enthusiasm ................................................................................................. 88 Art in a time of social and political upheaval ................................................................................ 95 Healing the nation ........................................................................................................................ 101 Peace at what cost? ...................................................................................................................... 108 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 115 Chapter Three: Democratic aspirations and Nairobi’s art institutions ................................. 117 3 Conceptual exhibitions: Kuona Trust .......................................................................................... 119 Alternative art spaces: Maasai Mbili ........................................................................................... 128 The paradoxes of commercial galleries....................................................................................... 133 Foreign cultural centres and Nairobi National Museum ........................................................... 139 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 148 Chapter Four: Implications of the market, NGO patronage, and curatorial practices ...... 150 Playing to the market ................................................................................................................... 151 Development organisations and the arts .................................................................................... 159 A curatorial turn? .......................................................................................................................... 167 Curatorial activism ........................................................................................................................ 174 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 179 Chapter Five: Art and activism on the streets ........................................................................... 181 Art + activism = artivism ............................................................................................................... 182 Graffiti as an act of protest and rebellion ................................................................................... 184 Reflections on street protests in Nairobi .................................................................................... 190 Carnivalesque protests and their mediation .............................................................................. 195 The confines of laughter and mockery........................................................................................ 202 The humourless State ..................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Catechesis As Pastoral Praxis for Developing Mature Faith in Karuri-Banana Hill Parish of Nairobi Arch Diocese
    . MLIL:Slie • TANGAZA COLLEGE THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF WO FASTERN AFRICA THIS IS INCORRECTED WORK. IDEAS OR OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY THE WRITER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF TANGAZA COLLEGE. CATECHESIS AS PASTORAL PRAXIS FOR DEVELOPING MATURE FAITH IN KARURI-BANANA HILL PARISH OF NAIROBI ARCH DIOCESE LONG ESSAY FOR B.A IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES /41;Wr It Le PRESENTED BY: GICHUKI GEORGE (i \ SUPERVISOR: FR. WILFRED D'SOUZA, FEBRUARY 1997 --OFtt NAIROBI KENYA DECLARATION I, the undersigned, declare that this is my original work. It has not been submitted to any college or university for academic credit. The topic of the work is; CATECHESIS AS PASTORAL PRAXIS FOR DEVELOPING MATURE FAITH IN KARURI - BANANA HILL PARISH OF NAIROBI ARCHDIOCESE Sighned: C. Date • )(41114:145is.44” , en* iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I admit humbly that this study has reached its present state because of the efforts and the co-operation of several people whom I am indebted to and owe them gratitude. I am deeply grateful to God for the many gifts He has given to me, particularly good health, and the ability to concentrate in my studies. The author wishes to thank everybody who has contributed in one way or another in this endeavour. I am sincely grateful to Rev. Fr. Wilfred D'souza SDB, who undertook the responsibility of supervisor of this Long Essay His generous and scholarly assistance, love and concern at all stages in organizing and writing this Essay is deeply appreciated. My gratitude to Rev. Frs. Cesare Molten, the parish priest of Karuri parish and his assistant Citterio Antonio, for the permission for the research, the leaders and the faithful in Karuri for their generosity, encouraging contribution in the field work.
    [Show full text]
  • Kaya Hip-Hop in Coastal Kenya: the Urban Poetry of UKOO FLANI
    Page 1 of 46 Kaya Hip-Hop in Coastal Kenya: The Urban Poetry of UKOO FLANI By: Divinity LaShelle Barkley [email protected] Academic Director: Athman Lali Omar I.S.P. Advisor: Professor Mohamed Abdulaziz S.I.T. Kenya, Fall 2007 Coastal Cultures & Swahili Studies Kaya Hip Hop in Coastal Kenya Fall 2007 ISP, SIT Kenya By: Divinity L. Barkley Page 2 of 46 Table of Contents Acknowledgements………………………………………..………………….page 3 Abstract……………………………………………..…………………………page 4 Introduction…………………………………..……………………………pages 5-8 Hip-Hop & Kenyan Youth Culture Research Problem Status of Hip-Hop in Kenya Hypotheses The Setting……………………………….………………………………pages 9-10 Methodology: Data Collection……………………………………..…pages 10-12 Biases and Assumptions………………………..………...…………...pages 13-14 Discussion & Analysis…………………………………………………pages 14-38 Ukoo Flani ni nani? Kaya Hip-Hop Traditional Role of Music in African Culture Genesis of Rap/Hip-hop in American Ghettoes The Ties That Bind Kenyan Radio The Maskani Ghetto Life Will the real Ukoo Flani please stand up? Urban Poetry: Analyzing Ukoo Flani’s Lyrics Conclusion…………………………..……………………….…………pages 38-42 Conclusion Part I: The Future of Ukoo Flani Conclusion Part II: Hypotheses Results Conclusion Part III: Recommendations for Future SIT Students Bibliography………………………………………………..…………..pages 43-44 Interview/Meeting Schedule………………………………………………page 45 ISP Review Sheet…………….……………………………………….……page 46 Kaya Hip Hop in Coastal Kenya Fall 2007 ISP, SIT Kenya By: Divinity L. Barkley Page 3 of 46 Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank the entire Ukoo Flani crew for their contributions to my project. I am fascinated by your amazing talent and dedication to making positive music to inspire future generations. I am amazed at what you have been able to accomplish despite limited access to resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Dancing to the Beat of the Diaspora: Musical Exchanges Between Africa and Its Diasporas
    African and Black Diaspora: An International Journal ISSN: 1752-8631 (Print) 1752-864X (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rabd20 Dancing to the beat of the diaspora: musical exchanges between Africa and its diasporas Paul Tiyambe Zeleza To cite this article: Paul Tiyambe Zeleza (2010) Dancing to the beat of the diaspora: musical exchanges between Africa and its diasporas, African and Black Diaspora: An International Journal, 3:2, 211-236, DOI: 10.1080/17528631.2010.481976 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17528631.2010.481976 Published online: 23 Jun 2010. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 398 View related articles Citing articles: 1 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rabd20 Download by: [US International University - Africa] Date: 01 November 2016, At: 01:09 African and Black Diaspora: An International Journal Vol. 3, No. 2, July 2010, 211Á236 Dancing to the beat of the diaspora: musical exchanges between Africa and its diasporas Paul Tiyambe Zeleza* Loyola Marymount University of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA This essay examines the complex ebbs and flows of musical exchanges between Africa and its diasporas. Specifically, it focuses on musical engagements between, on the one hand, the Caribbean and West Africa and, on the other, the United States and Southern Africa. It argues that the influence of diasporan music on modern African music, especially popular music, has been immense. These influences and exchanges have created a complex tapestry of musical Afro- internationalism and Afro-modernism and music has been a critical site, a soundscape, in the construction of new diasporan and African identities.
    [Show full text]
  • Gender Dimensions in Emerging African Music Genres: a Case of Kenyan Local Hip Hop
    IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 24, Issue 5, Ser. 9 (May. 2019) 54-61 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org Gender Dimensions in Emerging African Music Genres: A Case of Kenyan Local Hip Hop Pamela N.Wanjala Shamberere Technical Training Institute P.o Box 1316, Kakamega, Kenya Abstract: The question of gender bias is now seen as a major challenge in almost every discipline that deals with human behavior, cognition, institutions, society and culture. Therefore, this paper was an attempt to investigate gender dimensions in the emerging African genres; a case study of local hip hop songs in Kenya. It discussed the extent to which hip hop language is gender biased. It focused on the popular local hip hop songs and video images that occur with the songs. The study used the Social Semiotic Theory in the theoretical framework. Ten hip hop songs and ten video excerpts were purposively selected for analysis. The hip hop songs were coded according to the name of the artist and year of production. The data was analyzed under three sections: Linguistic analysis, Image analysis and Gender analysis. The study revealed that indeed there is gender bias in the language of the favourite youth culture. This was revealed in the lexis that distinguishes gender, in the syntactic analysis and also in the image analysis. It was found that in hip hop music, men tend to be regarded higher in terms of roles, occupation and general human traits like strength and control than women. The study therefore recommends that radio and television stations, and other advertising agencies should join the battle for women liberation by using gender sensitive language and focusing on positive and constructive societal changes in terms of gender roles.
    [Show full text]
  • Influencer Culture and Food Habits in Urban Nairobi,Kakamega and The
    Guns, Oil and Water in Turkana County: What Do the Stars Portend? By Darius Okolla Six hundred and seventy-one kilometres north of Nairobi, close to the border with Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia, lies the dusty town of Lodwar in Turkana County, a rustic regional headquarters surrounded by a vast, sparse, thorny landscape that hosts the largest desert water body in the world, Lake Turkana. The recent discovery of oil in the region has thrown the county into the national limelight, giving it newfound importance because of its resource matrix. But even as the oil extraction begins, a process that has been marred by opacity, accusations of corruption, and conflict over the division of profits between the locals and the national government, an older discovery remains relatively unknown—archeoastronomy. Archeoastronomy is the study of how people in the past understood the phenomena in the sky, how they used these discoveries, and what role the sky played in their cultures. It is a multi-disciplinary field that includes geomorphology, art, astronomy, and religion. The basalt pillars discovered at Kalokol, Lothagam, Manemanya, Lokori and Namoratunga in the Turkana region in 1970s, are said to align with seven major stars: Aldebaran, Sirius, beta Triangulum, Pleiades, Bellatrix, central Orion and Saiph. The name Namoratunga is interpreted to mean either “dancing stones” or “people of stones”. There is contestation as regards the dating of the rock formations, with some claiming they were installed around 300 BC while others say they date as far back as 2400 BC. Some of the pillar sites have sophisticated underground burial sites containing as many as 160 graves all facing in one direction and marked by horizontal and vertical stone slabs jutting out of the ground.
    [Show full text]
  • Post-Election Violence in Kenya
    Spontaneous or Premeditated? DISCUSSION PAPER 57 SPONTANEOUS OR PREMEDITATED? Post-Election Violence in Kenya GODWIN R. MURUNGA NORDISKA AFRIKAINSTITUTET, UppSALA 2011 Indexing terms: Elections Violence Political violence Political crisis Ethnicity Democratization Kenya The opinions expressed in this volume are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Nordiska Afrikainstitutet. Language checking: Peter Colenbrander ISSN 1104-8417 ISBN 978-91-7106-694-7 © The author and Nordiska Afrikainstitutet 2011 Production: Byrå4 Print on demand, Lightning Source UK Ltd. Spontaneous or Premeditated? Contents Contents ..............................................................................................................................................................3 Foreword .............................................................................................................................................................5 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................7 Post-Election Violence: Overview of the Literature .............................................................................8 A Note on the Kenyan Democratisation Processes ............................................................................13 Clash of Interpretations ................................................................................................................................17 The Ballot Box and
    [Show full text]
  • “Not Worth the Risk” Threats to Free Expression Ahead of Kenya’S 2017 Elections
    “Not Worth the Risk” Threats to Free Expression Ahead of Kenya’s 2017 Elections HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH “Not Worth the Risk” Threats to Free Expression Ahead of Kenya’s 2017 Elections Copyright © 2017 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-6231-34761 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa is an independent not-for profit organization that promotes freedom of expression and access to information as a fundamental human right as well as an empowerment right. ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa was registered in Kenya in 2007 as an affiliate of ARTICLE 19 international. ARTICLE 19 Eastern African has over the past 10 years implemented projects that included policy and legislative advocacy on media and access to information laws and review of public service media policies and regulations. The organization has also implemented capacity building programmes for journalists on safety and protection and for a select civil society organisation to engage with United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) mechanisms in 14 countries in Eastern Africa.
    [Show full text]
  • Kenya Briefing Packet
    KENYA PROVIDING COMMUNITY HEALTH TO POPULATIONS MOST IN NEED se P RE-FIELD BRIEFING PACKET KENYA 1151 Eagle Drive, Loveland, CO, 80537 | (970) 635-0110 | [email protected] | www.imrus.org KENYA Country Briefing Packet Contents ABOUT THIS PACKET 3 BACKGROUND 4 EXTENDING YOUR STAY? 5 PUBLIC HEALTH OVERVIEW 7 NATIONAL FLAG 15 COUNTRY OVERVIEW 15 OVERVIEW 16 BRIEF HISTORY OF KENYA 17 GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE AND WEATHER 19 DEMOGRAPHICS 21 ECONOMY 26 EDUCATION 27 RELIGION 29 POVERTY 30 CULTURE 31 USEFUL SWAHILI PHRASES 36 SAFETY 39 CURRENCY 40 IMR RECOMMENDATIONS ON PERSONAL FUNDS 42 TIME IN KENYA 42 EMBASSY INFORMATION 43 WEBSITES 43 !2 1151 Eagle Drive, Loveland, CO, 80537 | (970) 635-0110 | [email protected] | www.imrus.org KENYA Country Briefing Packet ABOUT THIS PACKET This packet has been created to serve as a resource for the KENYA Medical/Dental Team. This packet is information about the country and can be read at your leisure or on the airplane. The first section of this booklet is specific to the areas we will be working near (however, not the actual clinic locations) and contains information you may want to know before the trip. The contents herein are not for distributional purposes and are intended for the use of the team and their families. Sources of the information all come from public record and documentation. You may access any of the information and more updates directly from the World Wide Web and other public sources. !3 1151 Eagle Drive, Loveland, CO, 80537 | (970) 635-0110 | [email protected] | www.imrus.org KENYA Country Briefing Packet BACKGROUND Kenya, located in East Africa, spans more than 224,000 sq.
    [Show full text]
  • 0 0 0 0 Acasa Program Final For
    PROGRAM ABSTRACTS FOR THE 15TH TRIENNIAL SYMPOSIUM ON AFRICAN ART Africa and Its Diasporas in the Market Place: Cultural Resources and the Global Economy The core theme of the 2011 ACASA symposium, proposed by Pamela Allara, examines the current status of Africa’s cultural resources and the influence—for good or ill—of market forces both inside and outside the continent. As nation states decline in influence and power, and corporations, private patrons and foundations increasingly determine the kinds of cultural production that will be supported, how is African art being reinterpreted and by whom? Are artists and scholars able to successfully articulate their own intellectual and cultural values in this climate? Is there anything we can do to address the situation? WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2O11, MUSEUM PROGRAM All Museum Program panels are in the Lenart Auditorium, Fowler Museum at UCLA Welcoming Remarks (8:30). Jean Borgatti, Steven Nelson, and Marla C. Berns PANEL I (8:45–10:45) Contemporary Art Sans Frontières. Chairs: Barbara Thompson, Stanford University, and Gemma Rodrigues, Fowler Museum at UCLA Contemporary African art is a phenomenon that transcends and complicates traditional curatorial categories and disciplinary boundaries. These overlaps have at times excluded contemporary African art from exhibitions and collections and, at other times, transformed its research and display into a contested terrain. At a moment when many museums with so‐called ethnographic collections are expanding their chronological reach by teasing out connections between traditional and contemporary artistic production, many museums of Euro‐American contemporary art are extending their geographic reach by globalizing their curatorial vision.
    [Show full text]
  • Kenya Election History 1963-2013
    KENYA ELECTION HISTORY 1963-2013 1963 Kenya Election History 1963 1963: THE PRE-INDEPENDENCE ELECTIONS These were the last elections in pre-independent Kenya and the key players were two political parties, KANU and KADU. KADU drew its support from smaller, less urbanized communities hence advocated majimboism (regionalism) as a means of protecting them. KANU had been forced to accept KADU’s proposal to incorporate a majimbo system of government after being pressured by the British government. Though KANU agreed to majimbo, it vowed to undo it after gaining political power. The majimbo constitution that was introduced in 1962 provided for a two-chamber national legislature consisting of an upper (Senate) and lower (House of Representative). The Campaign KADU allied with the African People’s Party (APP) in the campaign. KANU and APP agreed not to field candidates in seats where the other stood a better chance. The Voting Elections were marked by high voter turnout and were held in three phases. They were widely boycotted in the North Eastern Province. Violence was reported in various parts of the country; four were killed in Isiolo, teargas used in Nyanza and Nakuru, clashes between supporters in Machakos, Mombasa, Nairobi and Kitale. In the House of Representative KANU won 66 seats out of 112 and gained working majority from 4 independents and 3 from NPUA, KADU took 47 seats and APP won 8. In the Senate KANU won 19 out 38 seats while KADU won 16 seats, APP won 2 and NPUA only 1. REFERENCE: NATIONAL ELECTIONS DATA BOOK By Institute for Education in Democracy (published in 1997).
    [Show full text]
  • Kenya.Pdf 43
    Table of Contents PROFILE ..............................................................................................................6 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Facts and Figures.......................................................................................................................................... 6 International Disputes: .............................................................................................................................. 11 Trafficking in Persons:............................................................................................................................... 11 Illicit Drugs: ................................................................................................................................................ 11 GEOGRAPHY.....................................................................................................12 Kenya’s Neighborhood............................................................................................................................... 12 Somalia ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 Ethiopia ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 Sudan..........................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sacred Spaces, Political Authority, and the Dynamics of Tradition in Mijikenda History
    Sacred Spaces, Political Authority, and the Dynamics of Tradition in Mijikenda History A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts David P. Bresnahan June 2010 © 2010 David P. Bresnahan. All Rights Reserved. 2 This thesis titled Sacred Spaces, Political Authority, and the Dynamics of Tradition in Mijikenda History by DAVID P. BRESNAHAN has been approved for the Department of History and the College of Arts and Sciences by Nicholas M. Creary Assistant Professor of History Benjamin M. Ogles Dean, College of Arts and Sciences 3 ABSTRACT BRESNAHAN, DAVID P., M.A., June 2010, History Sacred Spaces, Political Authority, and the Dynamics of Tradition in Mijikenda History (156 pp.) Director of Thesis: Nicholas M. Creary This thesis explores the social, political, and symbolic roles of the Mijikenda kayas in the Coast Province of Kenya. The kayas, which exist today as sacred grove forests, are the original homesteads of the Mijikenda and the organizational units from which the symbolic authority and esoteric knowledge of the Mijikenda elders are derived. As a result, I conceptualize kayas as the physical space of the forests, but also complex networks of political, metaphysical, and symbolic power. While the kaya forests and their associated institutions have often been framed as cultural relics, I use this lens to illustrate how the position of the kayas in Mijikenda life has influenced broader social and political developments. Three main themes are developed: the first theme addresses how the kayas were used in different capacities to create space from the encroachment of colonial rule.
    [Show full text]