Kawira Mwirichia is a Queer, African, Female visual artist with an innate desire to change the world through beauty that inspires and educates the community.
Over the years, Kawira has worked as an artist within the Kenyan LGBT community and striven for a high level of virtuosity in her own work.
Her latest project, To Revolutionary Type Love (2017) is another example of her diverse use of medium (the kanga) and unique level of expression. This project aims to celebrate Queer Love through the demonstrative narrative of each country’s LGBTQIA milestones through symbols and beautiful quotes.
Projects
- HIVOS Illustrations This is some work I did for the ABPP (Africa Biogas Partnership Programme) 2014 Annual Report. Basically, my instructions were to create simple, clear pieces of art that had an African feel to it. For the cover page, I decided to highlight the idea of biogas using a biogas flame. I kept the art symmetrical so as to draw attention to the center of the piece and, consequently, to the type “Jiko La Biogesi” which I added to build on the ABPP theme and African feel I had only since hinted at with
- To Revolutionary Type LoveThe "To Revolutionary Type Love" project is inspired by love. It is a toast to revolutionary love, is essentially an act of love, and celebrates love through the spectrum of the LGBTQIA. This project uniquely illustrates rainbow love on kangas* using symbols unique to the triumphs of the queer movement in each country around the world. *These symbols and words of rainbow love are creatively designed on a "kanga/khanga," which is an East African traditional cotton cloth decoratively printed in
- Sexolution” Sexting Sticker pack ;)Now, the sticker pack hasn’t just grown to include 18 fun, kink-friendly requests ;) but it is also FREELY available in the mobile messaging app, Telegram (here)! I’m still working to expand free access to the pack, but I am grateful for all the support I’ve received so far that has made this possible and I’m excited to see how much further this can go! But enough of me talk-talk-talking :P Check out what the sticker pack has to offer (so far) and access the pack on Telegram here to slide into y
- Lez Ka-lour - A Lesbian KamaSutra Colouring BookSoooo, something fun happened the other day.. I made my very own, first ever, adult colouring book! “Lez Ka-lour!” the title of the book, is a play on the phrases “Lesbian KamaSutra” and… well… “Let’s Colour!” :D Do I really need to say more about its content? I’d like to mention, too, that the inspiration for this book was pretty spontaneous and happened during a whatsapp discussion I was having with other members of AFRA-Kenya as we planned last Saturday’s Halloween Art Auction (which totally
- Lez Ka-lour! – Second EditionHey, sooo, (partly) because of all the support the first edition of Lez Ka-lour! received :) I was able to upgrade my drawing-and-illustration tools so that I can churn out better quality work and, recently, I was able to work on the first version of Lez Ka-lour! to improve its illustrations! I’m happy to say that the second edition of the colouring book is now up and available for purchase on Amazon (here)! I’ve included a little preview of the new edition here too because the page on Amazon do
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Projects credited in
- WETRANSFER AND THE DOTS PRESENT: CHAMPIONING DIVERSITYThis month some of the leading creatives from the LGBT+ community are curating our WeTransfer wallpapers. Working with creative network The Dots we invited movers and shakers – from Google’s Tea Uglow to filmmaker Matt Lambert – to choose an up-and-coming LGBT+ creative who they believe is shaping the creative worlds of today and tomorrow. Meet our 2017 selections below… Curator: Tea Uglow Artist: Hana Tanimura The amazing Tea Uglow is creative director of Google’s Creative Lab in Sydney. The l9
- CHAMPIONING DIVERSITY: KAWIRA MWIRICHIAKawira Mwirichia was chosen by The Nest Collective as one of the up-and-coming talents shaping the creative worlds of today and tomorrow as part of our collaboration with creative network The Dots. Read more about the other artists here or read on to learn more about Kawira’s intriguing project. In Nairobi, Kenya, there are two different art scenes, artist and activist Kawira Mwirichia explains. There is the so-called Masai market which draws on traditional crafts and tribal customs, and there i17
- Championing Diversity: Meet the LGBT+ Creative Leaders of TomorrowWhilst diversity in the Creative Industries is flourishing, there’s still tracks to be made towards equality and inclusivity for all. Discover fresh ideas from people changing perspectives for the better, as nominated by 8 creative icons from across the globe, brought together by WeTransfer and The Dots.50
Work history
Founder
Athi River, KenyaFull Time
The "To Revolutionary Type Love" project is inspired by love.
It is a toast to revolutionary love, is essentially an act of love, and celebrates love through the spectrum of the LGBTQIA. This project uniquely illustrates rainbow love on kangas* using symbols unique to the triumphs of the queer movement in each country around the world.
*These symbols and words of rainbow love are creatively designed on a "kanga/khanga," which is an East African traditional cotton cloth decoratively printed in bold designs with a Swahili saying or message included. The khanga is often shared with others as a gift or used in celebratory events such as weddings to honour the couple, guests or the occasion.
If that was not all, the "To Revolutionary Type Love" project also invited six photographers to share their interpretation of love in the lives of our diverse Kenyan spectrum of the LGBTQIA. Imagine, instances of love captured on film. Love seen, acknowledged and celebrated, a rare moment for many around the world.
Illustrator
Athi River, KenyaFreelance
Worked as an Art Consultant to provide illustrations for the following organisations
▪ 2016 HolaAfrica
▪ 2016 AWID
▪ 2015 HIVOS
▪ 2014 None On Record
▪ 2013 & 2014 UHAI
Skills
- Creative Arts
- Adult art
- Art Exhibition
- Art and Creative Direction
- Innovation
Education
BEng Civil Engineering
- Kenya