Lot 16: Wanyu Brush (Kenyan, born 1947) She is Tired, before 2015

Wanyu Brush (Kenyan, born 1947) She is Tired, before 2015 Signed (verso) Oil on canvas 51.5 x 29.5 cm
Modern African Art

51.5 x 29.5 cm

Oil on canvas

before 2015

This artwork has been cleaned and lightly touched up and comes with a condition report.

Private collection

One of Kenya’s most celebrated painters, Wanyu Brush became a widely exhibited and collected artist in the 1980s and 1990s, both locally and internationally. Brush co-founded the Ngecha Art Group with fellow artists including Sane Wadu and was part of Ruth Schaffner’s stable of artists at Gallery Watatu. In this fluid gouache work, forms seem to drift on the wind, oscillating between human and animal, liquid, line and air. Best known for his vibrant and chaotic configurations of human and animal forms, this ethereal painting, which was bought from Gallery Watatu around 30 years ago, is a special find. Acquired by the current owner directly from the artist, She is Tired is an allegorical painting about navigating life’s hardships. If things become troublesome, the painting seems to say, just tip them down like you would with a wheelbarrow, freeing yourself from your burdens rather than carrying them with you. This artwork has been cleaned and lightly touched up and comes with a condition report.