DENNIS-MURAGURI
Dennis Muraguri’s work employs sculptures, paintings, installations, often in unexpected combinations that traverse traditional practice boundaries. The sculptures are merely representations of the industrialization in Kenya and most of them are inspired by music –and thus calling his style – “music today”. In 2003, Muraguri graduated top of his class at the Buru Buru Institute of Fine Arts with a Diploma in Painting and History of Art.
He says-
I’m currently working on a body of work inspired by “matatus” [Kenyan vehicles for taxiing passengers] .Other than being the main mode of transport, they are visually iconic and their ever changing presence and operations is intriguing .As an artist this is a fertile source of material and entertainment as they are also reflective of the society in many ways and are kind of a big deal .Also as the government struggles to bring to order the once rogue and ignored matatu industry it brings with it interesting changes .
Muraguri also work with recycled materials to create sculptures whose inspiration comes from the material itself , music and masks .
Recent Exhibitions in Kenya include : Matatu Games (2014), Manjano Nairobi Province Visual Art Exhibition -Go Down Arts Centre, Politics of art and the art of politics -Kuona Trust Art Centre, Blackman view, Whiteman taboo -Goethe Institute, Maker fair Africa -Nairobi University, First Portraits -Ramoma Art Gallery, Art for Christmas -Ramoma Art Gallery, Winter Warmer-Kuona Trust Art Centre, Big and Small -Ramoma Art Gallery and Upcoming Artists -Kuona Trust Art Centre. Muraguri is based at the Kuona Trust Art Centre, Nairobi Kenya.