Cyrus Kabiru
Nairobi b. 1984
Nairobi b. 1984
Cyrus Kabiru (b. 1984, Nairobi) began his art career in 2007 at the Kuona Trust Art Center in Nairobi, Kenya, which is known for its support and development programs for artists. He gained international recognition, particularly with his C-Stunners series, which he started in 2011. His works have been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the Saatchi Gallery in London, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, and Palazzo Reale in Milan. Additionally, Kabiru's works have been featured in important art events such as the Venice Biennale and the Johannesburg Art Fair. The artist works across various disciplines, including photography, sculpture, and installation, and his works are part of prominent institutional and private collections such as the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), Tiroche Deleon Collection, Studio Museum, Lemaître Collection, Han Nefkens H+F Collection, Helena Fernandino & Emilio Pi Collection, Saatchi & Abel Collection, The Royal Portfolio Collection (Cape Town, South Africa), Ekhard Foundation, and The Met Museum. Kabiru currently lives and continues his work in Nairobi, Kenya.
His story gained attention through the C-Stunners series, which began when he broke his father's glasses at a young age. The series is a sculpture collection featuring eyewear designs crafted from discarded materials Kabiru collected from the city streets and dumps. By photographing himself wearing these wearable sculptures and exhibiting these portraits alongside the sculptures, Kabiru references his own past, especially his relationship with his father. The C-Stunners series combines the values of traditional African crafts with a futuristic aesthetic, inviting viewers to reflect on different ways of seeing and being seen. In this respect, Kabiru is recognized as one of the pioneers of the "Afrofuturism" movement. Another notable series by Kabiru, "Black Mamba," draws attention to the decreasing use of bicycles in the city and the rapidly changing consumer habits in today's world.
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SUMMART SUMMER WRAP-UP, a group exhibition featuring a special selection of works by Alper Aydın, Aytuğ Aykut, Berk Arıkan, Can Özsobay, Cyrus Kabiru, Dilşad Akçayöz, Enis Öncüoğlu, Siya Fatih Gürbüz, Gamze Araz Eskinazi, Onur Kaymak, Pınar Yılmaz, Selin Gençoğlu, Selin Öktem, Uğur Ulusoy, Yılmaz Bulut, and Yiğit Can Alper, is now on view at Summart.
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