In a moment where civic discontent threatens to define Nairobi’s streets, The Print Press exhibition at Alliance Française offers a counterpoint; an introspective, disciplined, and profoundly expressive return to the tactile precision of printmaking.
As the second installation of this exhibition series, the first held earlier this year at House of Friends Gallery in Kibera, it curates a cross-generational dialogue between Kenyan veterans and emerging artists who are reshaping the contours of contemporary print art.
Featured artists include Mari Endo, Thom Ogonga, Michael Soi, Andrea Bohnstedt, James Mweu, Becky Nabulime, Elena Omeri, Terry Obiri, and Makonde. Their works navigate the fine line between replication and originality, a long-standing tension in the printmaking tradition.
In the art scene, printmaking has often played a subdued role, overshadowed by painting and sculpture. Because of its mass production ability, some perceive it as a threat to the exclusivity of a piece or an idea of impression or expression.
Michael Soi poses for a photo at The Print Press exhibition at Alliance Française, Nairobi, on June 24, 2025.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
Yet for print artists athered here, the time it takes to work on an etching, drawing lines and curves on wood or whatever medium, is both an adrenaline chase and a catharsis which is reflective to most of the works in the show.
It’s this sensibility that veteran artist and curator Michael Soi underscores in his reflections on the exhibition. He believes print art rarely gets the recognition it deserves.
“You will find people doing an exhibition of 25 pieces and only one of them will be a print and as a side prop,” Soi observes. For soi, this show is an attempt to shift that narrative.
Soi himself returns to printmaking after a 25-year hiatus, prompted by the influence of artist James Mweu, whom he calls “one of the most active printers” working today.
Though best known for his bold, chaotic paintings, Soi’s new works have a heavy touch of minimalism both in the use of colour and the application of space.
Interestingly, his contributions are not prints in the strict sense; they are painted impressions created during his study of mirrored reversal in print technique, a nod to the cognitive shift required in the medium.
The exhibition is also a testament to the power of pedagogy and mentorship. Japanese printmaker Mari Endo, who teaches in intimate studio classes, brings to the show her delicate chrysanthemum-based motifs, meticulously rendered in the Japanese tradition, yet contextualised in local form. Her student, writer and cultural commentator Andrea Bohnstedt, joins her on the wall, illustrating the cross-disciplinary appeal of the form.
Then there is Terry Obiri, whose Commuter Series presents a striking evolution from earlier works shown at House of Friends. Her woodcuts are assertive and sculptural, playing with form and negative space to create an emotional chiaroscuro that feels both personal and sociological. Soi names Obiri’s work as his personal highlight of the show, noting her dramatic growth as an artist of note.
Thom Ogonga, one of the few artists from the Kuona Trust generation who maintained a consistent printmaking practice, presents greyscale compositions that blend human form with abstraction, capturing volume and absence with subtle mastery. His work anchors the exhibition in its historical lineage.
In contrast, Dennis Muraguri’s contributions are saturated with colour, bordering on obsessive detail. Known for his matatu-themed woodcuts and kinetic cityscapes, Muraguri exemplifies what Soi calls a “near-manic drive” for perfection.“He just doesn’t know where to stop, and if you look around, his work is very well defined. To me, that is a skill that is hard to find. I have known him for 10 years, and when I knew him, he wasn’t doing any prints. For you to start and get to this level in 10 years, it is a serious thing,” he says.
Visitors admire artwork showcased at The Print Press exhibition at Alliance Française, Nairobi, on June 24, 2025.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
Strikingly, The Print Press reverses long-standing gender imbalances in the Kenyan visual arts. More women than men are featured, an intentional shift from the overwhelmingly male-dominated submissions of the 1980s and 90s.
For Soi, whose practice spans three decades, the exhibition is more than a showcase, it’s a homecoming of sorts. “This was never just a job. It’s a passion. I grew up in Buruburu watching my father paint,” he recalls. In 1972, before Soi was born, his father won a competition to design the poster for the Munich Olympics and spent time touring Germany, stories that would profoundly shape Soi’s own aspirations as an artist and world traveller.
By the time he was 30, Soi had exhibited across Western Europe, though ironically, never set foot in Germany. “Life throws curveballs,” he says with a laugh, “but I’m easy.”
The Print Press is on view at Alliance Française until June 29, 2025, a rare and thoughtful survey of printmaking’s quiet power, and a timely reminder that precision and patience, too, can be revolutionary.
