Circle Art Gallery Presents Jonathan Sölanke Gathaara Fraser’s Second Solo Exhibition: The Past Will Be Like the Future

Nairobi, Kenya — June 3, 2025 — Circle Art Gallery is pleased to present The Past Will Be Like the Future, the much-anticipated second solo exhibition by multidisciplinary Kenyan artist Jonathan Sölanke Gathaara Fraser, opening on Wednesday, June 11 and running through July 17, 2025.

Fraser’s practice is deeply rooted in a deliberate slowness and sensitivity to the world around him. Over the past five years, he has developed a body of work that uses drawing, sound, and installation as tools of observation—extending his senses into his environment and inviting us to do the same. This new solo show continues his exploration of how we perceive, relate, and respond to our surroundings, yet this time, Fraser urges us to feel before we think, challenging the tendency to intellectualize both art and experience.

In The Past Will Be Like the Future, Fraser constructs a meditative and immersive atmosphere where visitors are encouraged to observe through embodiment, allowing sight, sound, and stillness to guide interpretation. His drawings, often minimal yet emotionally resonant, are complemented by site-specific soundscapes and subtle installations that gently disrupt and expand the viewer’s expectations of a gallery space.

This show marks a significant evolution in Fraser’s journey as an artist, following his acclaimed first solo, There Is A Time and A Place (2021), also at Circle Art Gallery. His recent participation in 2025’s “Notes on Friendship: Breaking Bread”, a group exhibition organized by Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI) and Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA), highlighted his collaborative and conceptual depth. A former resident at 32° East in Kampala, Fraser is also slated for a Pro Helvetia-supported residency in Zurich later this year.

Join us in experiencing a rare and thoughtful invitation to slow down and pay attention—The Past Will Be Like the Future is not just an exhibition, but a practice in presence.

Exhibition Details

Circle Art Gallery
The Past Will Be Like the Future

June 11 – July 17, 2025
@ Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi

Time: Open daily from 9:00 AM

Entry: Free and open to the public