Sane Wadu, "Love Munga", 1996
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Sane Wadu
born 1954 as W. N. Mbugua in Nyathuna, Kenya
lives and works as a painter since 1983 in Naivasha, Kenya
One of the most important artist of expressionism in East Africa
Exhibited wordwide, e.g. in the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York
Founded in 1991 with young artists and autodidacts the „Ngecha Artists Association“ in Nairobi, beginning with community paintings
Since the nineties Wadu started the Ngecha gallery in Naivasha
Artist Profil | Workshops | Exhibitions | Publications | Museums - Collection | Kunstwerk des Monats August 2012 - "Hunting Hyenas", Januar 2014 - "Home Breaker"
Sane Wadu, whose actual name is Walter Njugana Mbugua, is now internationally considered to be one of Kenya’s best-known artists. Like other self-taught artists, Wadu presented his first works to Ruth Schaffer, the former owner of Nairobi’s Gallery Watatu. She recognized his talent and supported his subsequent career. Since his activities were followed with great scepticism and he was sometimes considered to be slightly sick or crazy, he took on the name “Sane Wadu”. Yet he continued to follow an uncompromising artistic path. Within a few years, he developed an idiosyncratic painterly stance. Since the early 1990s, Wadu has led the Ngecha Artists’ Association, whose members started out by collaborating to produce huge, expressive tableaux and are now established figures on the Kenyan Art Scene. His subject matter ranges from biblical scenes through animal motifs to social and political commentary, often expressed with mordant wit. In 2013, Wadu and members of his family initiated the Sane Wadu Trust, which has realised numerous projects and exhibitions together with East African artists to date.
2013 to date - Sane Wadu Trust, Support organisation for young artists in East Africa
Email: info@sanewaduartstrust.org
2006, 2007, 2008 - Global Alliance Students for Africa, Art Camp in Arusha, Tansania
2003 - Resident – Works on Paper, Caribbean Contemporary Arts (CCA), Port of Spain
2001 - Big River International Artist Workshop at CCA7, Trinidad and Tobago
- Artist-in-Residence, Carribbean Contemporary Art, CCA7, Trinidad and Tobago
2000 - Wasanii International Artist Workshop, Kuona Trust, Kenia
1999 - Kenya Museum Art Studio, Nairobi, Kenia
- Wasanii International Artist Workshop, Lake Naivasha, Kenia
1998 - Triangle Artist Workshop, World Trade Center, New York
- International School of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenia
1997 - Ngecha YMCA Artist Workshop, Kenia
1995 - Watatu Foundation Artist Workshop, Nairobi, Kenia
1994 - Mbile International Artist Workshop, Lusaka, Sambia
- Wildebeest Artist Workshop, Lamu, Kenia
2022 - "Sane Wadu: 'I Hope So'. A Retrospective", Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute, Nairobi, Kenya, 14.01.-30.03.2022
2019 - "Karuga - Sekano - Wadu", Radisson, Nairobi, Kenya
2017 - „Sane Wadu and Fitsum Berhe. First Generation – Second Generation“, Gallery Sankara, Nairobi
2016 - "Sane Wadu", Red Hill Gallery, Nairobi, Kenia
2009 - „Sane Art“, Rahimtulla Gallery, Nairobi, Kenia
2008 - „Sane Wadu Studies“, RaMoMa (Museum of Modern Art), Nairobi, Kenia
2002 - „Late Date“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, Kenia
2001 - „Endagered Species“, French Cultural Center, Nairobi, Kenia
- Sane Wadu, Living Room Gallery, Atlanta, USA, 2001
2000 - „Crossover“, The Living Room Gallery, Atlanta, USA
1999 - „Sane Wadu. Expressive Malerei aus Kenya“, Kunst Transit, Berlin, Deutschland, 21. 1. – 25. 2.
1998 - „Mirages“, Gallery of East Africa Contemporary Art, Nairobi, Kenia
1995/1996 - „Variations“, Gallery of East Africa Contemporary Art, Nairobi, Kenia
1989 - „Sane Revisited“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, Kenia
- „Sane Wadu: Art without Frontiers“, Gallery Philippe Briet, New York, USA
1987 - „Paintings of Sane Wadu 1985-1987“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, Kenia
1986 - „Selected works of Sane Wadu“, Brookes Adobe Arts Center, Santa Barbara, California, USA
Group Exhibitions (Selection)
2020 - Reference exhibition on "Michael Armitage. Paradise Edict", Haus der Kunst, München, 4. 9. 2020 - 14. 2. 2021
2018 - "Asia meets Africa", Kunst Transit Berlin, Berlin, 29. 9. - 15. 12. 2018
- "Vanguard, part I", Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenia, 13 - 29. 6. 2018
2017 - "First Generation - Second Generation. Sane Wadu - Fitsum Berhe", One Off Gallery, Nairobi, Kenia
2015 - "Paper II", Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenia, 24. 11. - 23. 12. 2015
2012 - "East African Encounters: Contemporary Art from Kenya and Tanzania", Indigo Arts Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, 10. 3. - 29. 9. 2012
2011 - „Wanyu Brush, Sane Wadu & Jak Katarikawe“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, Kenia, 16. 4. – 8. 5. 2011
2009 - RaMoMa – Museum of Modern Art, Nairobi, Kenia
2008 - „Angaza Africa: Africa Art Now“, October Gallery, London, England
2007 - „Small works + 1“, Mbari Institute for Contemporary African Art, Washington D. C., USA
2004 - „Kenya Art“, The Kentler International Drawing Space in Red Hook, Five Myles Gallery in Crown Heights, Brooklyn Public Library, Long Island University’s Salena Gallery in Brooklyn, Welancors Gallery in Bedford-Stuyvesant, USA, 17. 1. – 29. 2. 2004
2003 - „Resident – Works on Paper“, Caribbean Contemporary Arts (CCA), Port of Spain
- „Colors of Africa: Contemporary Art from the Continent“, Diggs Gallery, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
- „Thelathini: 30 faces, 30 facets of contemporary art in Kenya“, Kuona Trust, Nairobi, Kenia
2002 - „Late Date“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, Kenia
- „Action and vision: painting and sculpture in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda from 1980“, Rochdale Art Gallery, London, 14. 7. – 30. 9. 2002
2001 - „Contemporary African Art“, Mbari Institute, Maine, USA
- „Creative Ways“, Wanderausstellung von Shari Davis und Benny Fredman
- „Big River 2“, Caribbean Contemporary Arts (CCA), Port of Spain
- Endangered Species“, French Cultural Center, Nairobi, Kenia
2000 - „Crossover“, The Living Room Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1998 - Skoto Show, Skoto Gallery, New York, USA
1997 - Passionate Journey: Ruth Schaffner Memorial“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, Kenia
1996 - „Aufbruch: Moderne Afrikanische Kunst. Die Sammlung Kleine-Gunk“, Fürth, Deutschland
- „Concrete Narratives“, White Chapel Gallery, London, England
- „Kunst aus Ostafrika“, Kunst Transit, Berlin, Deutschland, 2. 11. – 8. 12. 1996
1995 - 1996 - „seven stories about modern art in africa“, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, England, 27. 9.- 26. 11. 1995
- Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, Schweden, 27. 1. – 17. 3. 1996;
- The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (SoHo), New York, Mitte Juni – Mitte September 1996
1995 - „Ngecha Artist’ Association“, Nairobi, Kenia
- „Africus 95“, Johannesburg Biennale, Johannesburg, Südafrika 20.2. – 30. 4. 1995
- „Variations“, Gallery of East Africa Contemporary Art, Kenia
- „Africa 95 art exhibition“, British Council, Nairobi, Kenia
1994 - „Custodian View. 80th Africa“, Johannesburg, Südafrika
1993 - „Entdeckung. Kunst aus Ostafrika“, Stadtmuseum Ludwigshafen, Deutschland
- Grafolies Biennale, Abidjan, Elfenbeinküste
- Meisterwerke der Sammlung Péus, Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen, Deutschland
- African Contemporary Art, Purco Art Gallery, Tokio + Nagoya, Japan
1992 - Galerie für zeitgenössische Kunst Ostafrikas, Nairobi, Kenia
- „Kenya Art Panorama“, Centre culturel français, Nairobi, Kenia. November 1992
1991 - „Young Talents“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, Kenia
- „Mit Pinsel und Meißel“. Zeitgenössische afrikanische Kunst. Museum für Völkerkunde, Frankfurt, Deutschland
1990 - „Wegzeichen - Kunst aus Ostafrika“ im Völkerkundemuseum Frankfurt/M.
- „Into the Nineties“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi
- "`Abstracte kunst is te persoonlijk': Traditionele verhalen zijn het thema voor moderne kunstenaars uit Kenya,", Onze wereld, Amsterdam
- "Kunst uit Kenya", Technische Universiteit, Eindhoven, Niederlande
- „Ngecha: Village of Painters“, Gallery Watatu, Nairobi, Kenia
1988 - „Art in Kenya today“, Goethe Institut, Nairobi, Kenia
- Michael Armitage. Paradise Edict, Catalogue for the exhibition in the Haus der Kunst, Verlag Walther und Franz König, München 2020
- Fernandes, Andréa, „Feel Art Again“, 2. 7. 2009
- Spring, Chris, „Angaza Africa: African Art Now“, Laurence King Publishing Ltd., 2008, 336 S.
- Mbari Institute for Contemporary Art, „Small works + 1“, Washington D. C., 2007
- Salena Gallery; Long Island University, „Kenya Art“, New York – Brooklyn, 2004
- Kuona Trust, „Thelathini: 30 faces, 30 facets of contemporary art in Kenya“, Nairobi, 2003
- Winston Salem University, „Colors of Africa: Contemporary Art of the Continent“, Winston Salem, 2003
- The Triangle Art Trust, „Action an Vision“, Nairobi 2002
- Picton, John; Loder, Robert u.a., Action and vision: painting and sculpture in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda from 1980, London, 2002
- Living Room Gallery, Sane Wadu, Atlanta, USA, 2001
- Gabriel, Alexandra, Zeitgenössische Malerei in Kenia, (Dissertation), Kunstgeschichtliches Institut, Universität Freiburg, 2001
- Sotheby’ Auction catalogues, 1999 und 2000
- Kasfir, Sidney Littlefield, „Contemporary African Art“, Thames and Hudson, New York 1999
- Graff, Peter, „The Sane Kenyan: Sane Wadu“, Time Magazine, 10. 2. 1997
- Kleine-Gunk, Bernd, „Aufbruch: Moderne Afrikanische Kunst, die Sammlung Kleine-Gunk“, Solaris, Fürth 1996. 93 S., Farbabbildungen
- Grove-Macmillan, Dictionary of African Art, 1996
- Magnin, André und Soulillou, Jacques, „Contemporary Art of Africa“, Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York 1996
- Johannesburg Biennale, „Africus“, Transitional Metropolitan Council, Johannesburg 1995
- Deliss, Clémentine, „seven stories about modern art in africa“, Whitechapel/Flammarion, Paris - New York 1995
- Kleine-Gunk, Bernd, „Kunst aus Kenia. Sieben ostafrikanische Maler“, Graphium Press, Wuppertal 1994
- Krammer, Alois, Gegenwartskunst in Kenia – Über sechs moderne Maler, Die blaue Eule, Essen 1994, 188 S.
- Aghte, Johanna, „Religion in Contemporary East African Art“ in: Journal of religion in Africa, Leiden 1994. S. 375-388, Abbildungen
- Pruitt, Sharon and Thomas Causey. "Art in Kenya," pp. 135-155. In: Kenya: the land, the people, and the nation, Hg. Mario Azevedo. Durham, Carolina Academic Press, North Carolina, USA 1993
- Stadtmuseum Ludwigshafen, „Entdeckung. Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Ostafrika“, Ludwigshafen 1993
- Centre culturel français, „Kenya Art Panorama, Nairobi 1992. 26 S., Farbabbildungen, Text in französisch und englisch
- Agthe, Johanna, „Wegzeichen. Kunst aus Ostafrika 1974-89. Signs. Art from East Africa 1974-89“, Museum für Völkerkunde, Frankfurt 1990
- Oomen, Mar and Walter van Hulst. "`Abstracte kunst is te persoonlijk': Traditionele verhalen zijn het thema voor moderne kunstenaars uit Kenya," Onze wereld, Amsterdam, Januar 1990. S. 37-42, Farbabbildungen
- Museum der Weltkulturen, Frankfurt/Main
- RaMoMa (Museum for Modern Art), Nairobi, Kenya
- African Contemporary Art Gallery
- André Magnin
- Bernd Kleine-Gunk, Erlangen
- Influx Contemporary African Art Gallery, Lissabon, Portugal
- Kunst Transit Berlin
- Giovanni Springmeier Collection, Berlin
- Jean Pigozzi Collection, CAACArt, Genf
- Sindika Dokolo Collection
- The Saatchi Gallery, Lissabon, Portugal