There are places the world too often defines by what they lack. Places measured through statistics, poverty, and struggle rather than by the people who sustain them. Mathare, one of Nairobi’s oldest informal settlements, is one of those places. Yet this exhibition is not about hardship alone. It is about the women whose strength, labor, and resilience make life possible every day.

In Mothers of Mathare, artist Yusuf Mirumbe turns his attention to the women who serve as the backbone of their families and community. They are mothers, merchants, caretakers, neighbors, and providers. They carry water, prepare meals, operate market stands, raise children, share stories, solve problems, and create opportunity where resources are scarce. Through conversations over tea, moments of contemplation, daily chores, and acts of collective care, these paintings reveal the quiet power found in ordinary life.

The women depicted throughout this exhibition are not symbols of struggle; they are examples of leadership. In works such as Held High, Ubuntu, Waiting, and Contemplation, Mirumbe captures dignity, pride, patience, and perseverance. Whether standing together, helping a neighbor complete a task, or simply pausing to reflect, these women embody a truth found throughout Mathare: communities endure because people choose to care for one another.

At the heart of this exhibition is the spirit of Ubuntu—“I am because we are.” This belief is visible in the shared labor, mutual support, and collective responsibility that appears throughout the work. It reminds us that survival is rarely an individual act. Every meal prepared, every child raised, every burden shared contributes to the strength of the whole community.

Mirumbe’s connection to these stories is deeply personal. Art became a refuge before it became a profession. What began as a means of escaping difficult realities evolved into a language for healing, reflection, and hope. Through his paintings, he bears witness to lives that are often overlooked while honoring the beauty, humanity, and resilience that exist within them.

Mothers of Mathare is ultimately a celebration of women whose contributions often go unseen. It is an invitation to recognize dignity where others see scarcity, beauty where others see hardship, and strength where others fail to look. These paintings remind us that mothers do more than care for families—they hold communities together, carry history forward, and help shape the future.

ARTIST TALK JUNE 25TH [6PM]
Tix are FREE & DONATION BASED

SHOWING JUNE 25TH – JULY 19TH
During regular gallery hours.

CLOSING TALK WILL BE HOSTED
BY CARA DEANS