How a Nairobi Artist Turned a Canvas into a Million-shilling Masterpiece

Kenyan painter Justus Kyalo reached a career milestone when his 2021 abstract work More Light a Little sold for Sh900,000 before taxes at the annual Art Auction East Africa in Nairobi.

The auction, held at Circle Art Gallery and conducted by South African firm Strauss & Co, featured 66 works from artists across the continent. Tanzanian painter Kiure Francis Msangi achieved the highest overall sale, with his 1969 piece Baobab under the Red Moon fetching Sh3.5 million. 

Kyalo’s result, however, marked the strongest showing by a Kenyan artist at the event and pushed his total above Sh1 million after taxes for the first time since the auction began in 2013. His previous sales had remained below Sh350,000.

Kyalo’s rise reflects years of steady development. 

He began as an illustrator before turning towards abstraction, refining a style built on layered colour fields that focus on visual experience rather than storytelling. Earlier works, including Tofauti Yangu Nawe I & II (2018) and Lakeside Images II (2015), achieved modest sales, while Paths of Rhythm Before Chaos (2013) did not sell. 

The latest result confirms growing market recognition for his distinct approach, once described by critic Frank Whalley as “driven by intellect” and resistant to conventional narrative form. Bidding for More Light a Little opened at Sh500,000 and advanced through seven rounds before closing at Sh900,000. 

The 1.2-by-1 metre canvas, featuring layered blues accented by intense flashes of red and orange, reflects Kyalo’s focus on colour and texture as expressions of emotion and perception. Kyalo’s works are already held in collections including the French Embassy, the Ford Foundation, Safaricom and the World Bank.

Strauss & Co reported strong attendance at the event, with participants bidding both in person and online.