Journal of
Fine and Studio Art

  • Abbreviation: J. Studio Fine Art
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-6524
  • DOI: 10.5897/JFSA
  • Start Year: 2010
  • Published Articles: 16

Article in Press

EAST AFRICAN ART AS A CATALYST OF SUSTAINABILITY: A CASE STUDY OF MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTISTS SANAA GATEJA, EVANS NGURE AND SAMSON SSENKAABA

WANJIKU ANGELA MURIGI and SAMUEL MWITURIA MAINA

  •  Received: 27 February 2020
  •  Accepted: 09 June 2020
Many states across the world have adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of these goals is to realize a sustainable future for all. This is further expounded upon as upholding of human dignity, social inclusion and environmental protection (UNESCO, 2016). In furtherance of these goals, artists, architects, designers and those in the creative space in East Africa are embracing this call though their artwork and their production processes. This paper studied three champions of such creative pursuit through a multiple case research design in Nairobi. The aim was to highlight their contribution towards the achievement of sustainability, through their application of east African domiciled cultural techniques, use of non-contemporary materials to produce contemporary art and design as well as the social impact they created. The study concluded that east African art and design is embracing sustainability by occupying different creative, intellectual and social spaces that have promising outcomes in changing individual and societal values and attitudes of the world.

Keywords: East Africa, Art and design, Sustainability, Contemporary, Multidisciplinary, Materials