The African Arts Trust Presents: Fabric of Our Being – A Solo Exhibition by April Kamunde

Nairobi, Kenya — June 25, 2025 | This June, The African Arts Trust (TAAT) is honored to present Fabric of Our Being, a deeply personal and visually tender solo exhibition by celebrated Nairobi-based painter April Kamunde. Opening on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 6:00 PM, and running daily through August 2, 2025, this exhibition invites viewers to reflect on themes of rest, identity, and feminine introspection.

Kamunde, who spent 17 years building a reputation as a sought-after portraiture artist, transitioned to full-time studio practice in 2020. Since then, her work has evolved into a nuanced, emotive study of personal and collective memory. Working primarily in oil, Kamunde paints with soft, flowing brushstrokes that create rich, intimate portraits—often placing her subjects within lush, dreamlike natural environments. These scenes invite viewers to slow down, breathe, and step into spaces of emotional reflection.

Fabric of Our Being is Kamunde’s most personal body of work to date. Created in response to the emotional and physical exhaustion of recent years—marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the pressure of living in a hyper-productive society, and the complexities of navigating modern womanhood in Nairobi—the exhibition meditates on the necessity and radical act of rest.

At the heart of this work is the dera, a flowing, loosely-fitted dress that has become symbolic of comfort, stillness, and reclamation. For Kamunde, the dera represents a kind of visual shorthand—a “do not disturb” sign for women who seek peace in a world that constantly demands their performance. In her paintings, the women wear deras not just as garments, but as declarations of boundaries and self-prioritization.

Set against vibrant backdrops of flora and fauna, these serene portraits become visual sanctuaries. The natural world in Kamunde’s work is not just a backdrop, but a collaborator—acting as a metaphor for freedom, escape, and healing.

Exhibition Details

April Kamunde
Fabric of Our Being

June 6 – August 2, 2025
The African Arts Trust (TAAT)

Time: Opens daily from 6:00 PM onward