This archive report was first published on 4 October 2019.
Art in The Castle ¶
Located in the 20-acre property of Deighton Downs in Laikipia County, Tafaria Castle has been transformed into a picturesque dream by art collector George Waititu.
George, who wears many hats, has hosted over 34 artists since the castle's doors opened seven years ago.
One of the artists-in-residence was Kevin Oduor, a sculptor with Kuona Trust, who worked on the 'Thuraku' artworks that adorn part of the wall of the Tafaria castle.
Kevin's artwork, inspired by his childhood experiences, has taken on a political undertone during the 2017 presidential election.
Another artist, Anne Ntinyari Mwiti, took up three different projects during her month-long residency at the property in June this year.
Her projects included 'The Love Locks', a metal gazebo where lovers can lock their love with a padlock before throwing away their keys.
Her other project was a series of paintings depicting various aspects of life in and around the Tafaria neighbourhood.
Her third undertaking was a community project she undertook with pupils from the nearby Nyambugicu Primary School, which involved painting trees with an orange band to champion environmental conservation.
The Tafaria Museum of Art and Philosophy has been established to showcase the artworks created by the artists-in-residence.
One of the outstanding works on display is 'A Stitch in Time', a cautionary tale of what can happen to a country in the event that it turns a blind eye to the cries of the people and allows ethnic tensions to fester.
The artwork features a strong white strip, symbolising peace and prosperity, above a black strip that stands for death and destruction.
Between them is a needle and thread with stitches, representing the choice that the citizenry and political leadership must make to thread up or down.
George's idea is to create a space where artists are free to express their ideas in a tranquil environment, reflecting and giving birth to new ideas.
He aims to give art a platform to influence social agenda and advocate for certain things.
At present, much of the art is domiciled at Tafaria but starting from this month, it will move to a new location.
