Mbugua Kimani produces woodcut prints from his studio in Nanyuki, Kenya. Much of his work coalesces around the fluidity of who we are, and our multiple identities.
His works often focus on one person or more. He has been moved by the plight of women in the lakeside city of Kisumu who are forced to sell themselves in exchange for fish. His various ‘sex for fish’ series seek to highlight their plight (and raise money to support them to manage a lifestyle change).
He uses vibrant colours, influenced by African culture and is inspired by the city of Nairobi, where he grew up in the organized chaos of a multi-cultural city and the tranquility of where he now lives under Mt Kenya, surrounded by natural beauty.
He has exhibited widely including Kenya, New York, Luxembourg and London.
At the RE’s ‘Small But Mighty’ exhibition in 2024 he was awarded the Printmaking Today Prize.