For one electric evening, the Circle Art Gallery in Kenya became the epicentre of a burgeoning art world as the inaugural Art Auction East Africa | Strauss & Co convened a global cohort of collectors, all vying for a piece of East Africa’s vibrant creative legacy.
The event marked a successful collaboration between Nairobi’s pioneering Circle Art Agency and South African powerhouse Strauss & Co.
The stars of the evening were the rare, almost mythical works by Tanzanian modernists Sam Ntiro and Kiure Francis Msangi. The fervent competition for their pieces culminated in new auction records, with Kiure’s 1968 masterpiece Baobab Under the Red Moon — a fervid, post-impressionist landscape — emerging as the top lot. It fetched a stunning KES 3.5 million (US$27 271), soaring past its pre-sale estimate and dispelling any doubt about the relevance and value of the region’s art historical gems.
“The competitive nature of the bidding was palpable,” noted Dr Alastair Meredith of Strauss & Co, who presided over the rostrum. The numbers told a clear story: a sell-through rate of nearly 80 per cent, a total of KES 29.6 million (US$229 727), and, most tellingly, over 45 per cent new buyers. This isn’t just a market; it’s a movement gaining powerful new converts.
Contemporary voices held their own, with Kenyan painter Boniface Maina’s Diary of the Concealed setting a vigorous tone with its opening sale, and works by Beatrice Wanjiku and Justus Kyalo achieving impressive results. A surprise standout was Sudanese artist Miska Mohammed’s The Movement of Daisies (2021), a contemporary piece that captivated the room and signalled a thrillingly expansive view of the region’s output.
As Susie Goodman of Strauss & Co reflected, the partnership with Circle Art Agency’s visionary founder, Danda Jaroljmek, “emphasised that our art ecosystem is stronger when we work together.” In a world searching for new narratives, the message from Nairobi was clear: the eyes of the art world are turning East — and the view is spectacular.
The last paragraph should read:
YourLuxury Africa served as the exclusive South African media partner for a series of events in Nairobi leading up to the auction, marking our debut presence in East Africa.
