Meet Kenyan Visual Artist Worth Sh735 Million

With a reported net worth of Sh735 million according to the Allfamous and SAinformant report, Wangechi Mutu has established herself as a prominent figure in the world of African contemporary art.

Her success as an artist has positioned her as one of the highest-earning Kenyan artists to date. Wangechi Mutu initially pursued art as a canvas painter and then transitioned to sculpture, ultimately claiming success in both forms. Wangechi's works are exorbitantly priced, some fetching as much as Sh8.3 million with the absolute minimum coming to Sh7.3 million. Boasting affiliations with two separate art studios based in Nairobi and Brooklyn while simultaneously managing a store in South Africa, Wangechi's artistic skills are well-appreciated in the art world. Born on June 22, 1972, in Nairobi, Wangechi spent her formative years cultivating her artistic prowess by leveraging essential art supplies from her father's import business.

To develop both her artistic skills and career, Wangechi left her home country to pursue further studies and polish her artistic career. Although the creative initially moved on to a boarding school in Wales, she eventually ventured across the Atlantic to establish deep roots within the art capital herself, New York City. Limited financially in regard to education fees, she promptly decided to pursue her education at Cooper Union, a tuition-free college. In 2000, the artist settled upon acquiring a master's degree from the esteemed Yale School of Art, her priceless gateway into a globe-spanning realm of art. As she transitioned into various forms of artistic expression, the artist found both recognition and financial success in the Western art market.

After spending over two decades abroad, she eventually made the decision to return permanently to Kenya. She first opened a studio based in Brooklyn in 2015 before resettling back to her motherland. Four years after settling back in Kenya, the New York Metropolitan Museum commissioned her to create a series of sculptures showcasing her unique blend of African and European art. Spanning over three decades of artistic endeavours, her work was displayed across the museum's three main gallery floors as well as the lobby gallery and the seventh floor.

The portfolio of the artist Wangechi commands respect, having been showcased in esteemed venues including the Center Pompidou, the New York Metropolitan Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the Tate Modern. Her contribution towards the world of modern and diverse art remains unmatched.