Gallery Watatu's grand sale cocktail
KBC CEO Waithaka Waihenya, CCK director Ben Gituku, Radio Africa Group CEO Patrick Quarcoo and Gallery Watatu CEO Osei Kofi
Some of the expensive art on display
Gallery Watatu, an art gallery which has been in existence since the
colonial days, has in the recent days faced a lot of tribulations. Rent
arrears owed to Lonhro House management, which houses the gallery, have
led to the auction of artworks valued at millions of shillings at
throwaway prices. This has caused distress to one of the directors Osei Kofi, the artists, and the dependants of the artists who have passed on.
On Thursday night, Radio Africa Group and the Star newspaper
sponsored a cocktail event at the Village Market in Nairobi to showcase
the artworks that went on sale starting yesterday at the same venue.
This is the biggest art sale in Kenyan history. Proceeds will go towards
clearing the arrears, supporting the artists' families and towards
expenses that will come about when the gallery finds a new home.
With
paintings fetching as much as Sh2 million and more, the sale is bound
to be a huge success that will ensure Gallery Watatu finds its footing
once again. In the heyday, the gallery attracted personalities like the
late Tom Mboya, Charles Njonjo and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Artists from all over the region like Jaki Katarikawe, George Lilanga and Wanyu Brush will have their work up for sale. The sale runs everyday from 11am - 7pm until July 7.