By Eddah Waithaka
*Walking on a Dream: Showcasing Artistic Evolution in the UJUZI Program*, Is an inspiring display of creativity and innovation, “Walking on a Dream” showcases three groundbreaking programs of the UJUZI learning initiative, which seeks to cultivate conceptual and aesthetic rigor among East African artists and foster a vibrant community of thinkers and creators. Elias Mung’ora, Jared Onyango, and Sandra Wauye participated in the program therefore allowing them to explore the nuances of their evolving visions, challenging perceptions and celebrating the rich tapestry of East African artistry.
Ceramic and painter artist Sandra Wauye has been painting since last year. Sandra said that this work is a part of a mentorship program that the trio have been doing since November of last year.
“It is a research fellowship, something of a sort where you work with mentors in the research projects that you want to do and then at the end you create one which is how it has come about now,” said Sandra during the exhibition at Rosslyn Riviera.
The Gen Z explained how her project was based on her connections with nature between the human species.
“It is sort of like angles, blends, connections and how to be around each other and care for each other basically. So what is not written, you actually need to do deep. It’s the works of the same thing which is just our connection to nature. This is more about plants and fungal forms that’s inspired by these other scenarios.”
Wauye participated in the 2024 edition of the KLA ART Festival in Kampala, and was an artist in residence at 32″ East in 2023. She has participated in various group exhibitions in Nairobi and Kampala, and was featured in the Sanaa Art Festival in Adelaide, Australia, in 2023 and 2024. Wauye’s mentor in the UJUZI program is Usha Seejarim.
Jared Onyango’s artistic interests include choreography, writing, photography, video and installation. He trained in dance at P.A.R.T.S in Brussels and Ecole des Sables in Senegal between 2010 and 2019 and studied film at the Mohammed Amin Foundation In 2012.
He was a Pina Bausch Foundation fellow in 2016 and a recipient of the Price Klaus Mentorship award in 2022. Onyango’s ongoing project, Jua Kali, examines the impact of public space and architecture on human movement and behaviour.
Additionally, he has been investigating the question of river pollution, notably at the Dandora dumpsite and Nairobi River. He is a co-founder of the Tempo Arts Centre, a green space for children and youth Dandora, Korogocho, Lucky Summer, Baba Dogo and Kariobangi communities. Onyango’s mentor in the UJUZI program is Elena Marchevska.
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“So, some of the things, some of the objects that are quite a lot at the dumpsite are plastics. And the Dandora Dumpsite is also close to Nairobi River. Actually, the Nairobi River passes close to it and also the Madare River. I got my inspirations from the dumpsite, especially how the plastics are polluting those rivers, Nairobi River and Mathare River,” said Onyango during an interview at the exhibition.
“I felt like I needed to do something as somebody who comes from there, who grew up in Korogosho where people make a living by working on plastics, washing them and then selling them for recycling. I think that was something that I needed to look at differently. So, for me, this is another way of looking at recycling a bit differently, how you can put them on space,” Onyango added.
Elias Mung’ora primarily works in painting, often combining it with other mediums such as drawing and photo collage. His work explores the complex and varied histones such home country, focusing on the impact of colonization and the resulting loss of land and rights for indigenous communities. Recently, he has been researching the role of early Scottish Christian missionaries in East Africa as part of understanding their involvement in the colonizatial project.
Since 2015, Mung’ora has been an active member of Brush Tu Artist Studio. He was a finalist in the Absa L’Atelier competition In 2017 and has exhibited his work in Kenya, South Africa, Italy, the USA, and France. Currently, he is a student of anthropology at the University of Nairobi. Mung’ora’s mentor in the UJUZI program is Abdullah Qureshi.
