The much awaited Afrika Handmade Symposium & Gallery 2015 is finally here. I was able to attend the opening day at the Alliance Francaise and I was not in the least disappointed. Featuring beautiful handmade pieces of art and furniture, needless to say I was in awe. An initiative of Craft Afrika, the event was conceptualized with a bid to change the perception of what constitutes the art sector which has for long been depicted as cheap, lacking intrinsic value, created for the tourist market and belonging to a dusty patch of earth at the maasai market.
The symposium is running from 30th September to 16th October 2015 so you have enough time to pop in and have a look at some of the pieces being showcased. Also entry free of charge.
Check out some of the pieces on display.
Bud Panesar
This table is the handiwork of Bud Panesar whose philosophy is based on minimalist optimality, whereby the design is complete when nothing more can be added or removed. He boasts of an impressive client list which includes Sir Richard Branson and President Uhuru Kenyatta. The table costs a cool 3 million bob, how about that.
Sky Décor
Who would have thought airplane parts could make furniture? Well for two childhood friends Sam and Khan design inspiration comes from a love for the unrestricted. They specialize in the integration of aircraft parts into high quality household and office furniture.
Esprit Ethnique
Adventure is the one word evoked by Espirit Ethnique. They are better known for an extensive range of lighting solutions though the company has an equally well developed repertoire of eclectic objet d’art.
Good Life Ltd
Working with a carpenter in Gisenyi, Rwanda. Tom Grass designed and built his first luxury curved libuyu laminate wooden hammock frame for Hotel Rwanda in Kigali. After selling a couple in the region he moved production to Bombolulu workshop in Mombasa where he imparted the skill in hammock making to a largely disabled workforce.
Kenya Bamboo Centre
Popular in Asia, bamboo popularly known as green gold is as versatile a raw material as they come. However its merits have not spread to this part of the world. The centre has developed an impressive array of products from wine racks to low slung Japanese beds.