“Through my work, I’m hoping viewers can get something to build onto their own experiences.”

Elias Mung’ora was born in 1992 in Nyeri, Kenya, and he currently lives and works in Nairobi, Kenya.
He briefly studied for a degree programme in Real Estate and Property Management before leaving to pursue a career in visual arts. His work is mostly inspired by life in the urban space of Nairobi with paintings, drawings, photography and wood cut prints being his principal media.

His practice appears to share glimpses into everyday Nairobi’s life by capturing significant moments such as a wedding or a portrait session.  His canvases attempt to show both the traces left behind of previous lives and histories, while simultaneously juxtaposing the imbalance of physical spaces and the impact of this imbalance on their inhabitants.

Working across mediums, his richly layered canvases demonstrate lived history – incorporating transfers that imbue various historical references, sweeping brush strokes reminiscent of an attempt to whitewash and refresh spaces, and detailed characters living everyday moments.

He’s a member of Brush-Tu Artist Collective, a Nairobi-based artists’ collective,  and was a top 10 finalist for the Barclays L’atelier 2017 competition.

Group Exhibitions

2022
African Identities, AKKA Project Venice, Venice, Italy

2019
Celebrating Our Collectors – One Off Contemporary Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya
Behind this Face: The human face evolution in painting, GravitArt, Nairobi,Kenya
Footprints – Circle Art Agency, Capetown Art Fair

2018
An exhibition of drawings, Saba Artist Residency, Lamu, Kenya
CO.FEE – Priest Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

2017
Sensing Nairobi, British Institute East Africa, Nairobi National Museum, Nairobi, Kenya
Young Guns, Circle Art Agency, Nairobi, Kenya

2016
Kenya Art Fair, Nairobi, Kenya
Polka Dot Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya
Circle Art Agency, Lamu pop up exhibition, Lamu, Kenya
Manjano exhibition, Nairobi, Kenya

2015
The Art Space Kenya , Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Art Fair, Nairobi, Kenya

Solo Exhibitions

2021
One Off Contemporary Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya
Gathering of Small Fires, Montague Contemporary, New York, NY, USA

2020
One Off Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya

2019
Celebrating our collectors- One Off Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya
Behind this Face: The Human Face Evolution in Painting- GravitArt, Nairobi, Kenya

2018
An exhibition of drawings-Saba Artist Residency, Lamu, Kenya
CO.FEE – Priest Gallery,Johannesburg

2017
Untitled – Polka Dot Gallery, ​​Nairobi, Kenya
Journal Entries,Little Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya

AWARDS 
Top 10 Finalist Barclays L’atelier 2017
Winner of Manjano Art Competition- 2016