Wangechi Mutu

Wangechi Mutu: Artist Profile

Biography

Wangechi Mutu, born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1972, is a multidisciplinary artist known for her work in collage, painting, sculpture, and installation art. She moved to the United States in 1992 to study art and earned her BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York in 1996. Mutu later received her MFA from Yale University School of Art in 2000. Her work often explores themes of gender, race, colonialism, and identity, drawing inspiration from her Kenyan heritage and her experiences living in the United States.

Important Works

• My Dirty Little Heaven (2010): This immersive installation combines elements of sculpture, painting, and collage to create a dreamlike environment that explores themes of beauty, decay, and transformation. The work incorporates materials such as dirt, synthetic hair, and Kenyan soil, reflecting the artist’s interest in the interplay between nature and culture.
• The End of Eating Everything (2013): A short animated film featuring musician Santigold, which explores the consequences of overconsumption and environmental destruction. The film combines elements of collage and stop-motion animation, with the protagonist consuming everything in her path until she ultimately destroys herself.
• Nguva na Nyoka (Sirens and Serpents) (2014): A series of large-scale collages depicting fantastical, hybrid female figures that challenge traditional representations of femininity and power. These works draw on African mythology, fashion photography, and the history of European art to create new narratives about identity and transformation.

Exhibitions

Wangechi Mutu’s work has been exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions worldwide. Some notable exhibitions include:

• Wangechi Mutu: A Fantastic Journey (2013): A mid-career survey organized by the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, which traveled to the Brooklyn Museum in New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami. The exhibition featured over 50 works, including collages, drawings, installations, and video.
• Wangechi Mutu: Nguva na Nyoka (2014): A solo exhibition at Victoria Miro Gallery in London, showcasing the artist’s collage series of hybrid female figures inspired by African mythology and contemporary culture.
• Wangechi Mutu: The Seated (2019): An installation of four monumental bronze sculptures on the façade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This marked the first time the museum commissioned an artist to create site-specific sculptures for its exterior.

Relevant Info

Wangechi Mutu has received numerous awards and honors for her work, including the United States Artists Fellowship in 2018 and the Anderson Ranch Arts Center National Artist Award in 2017. Her work is held in the collections of prominent institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Wangechi Mutu famous for?

A: Wangechi Mutu is famous for her multidisciplinary artwork, particularly her collages, which often depict hybrid female figures and explore themes of gender, race, colonialism, and identity. She is also known for her installations, paintings, sculptures, and films.

Q: What is Wangechi Mutu inspired by?

A: Wangechi Mutu draws inspiration from her Kenyan heritage, her experiences living in the United States, African mythology, fashion photography, and the history of European art. Her work often combines these diverse influences to challenge traditional narratives and create new stories about identity and transformation.

Q: How does Wangechi Mutu do her art?

A: Wangechi Mutu employs a variety of techniques and materials in her artwork, depending on the specific project. For her collages, she often uses found images from magazines, newspapers, and other sources, which she cuts and rearranges to create new, fantastical forms. She also works with a wide range of materials, including paint, synthetic hair, Kenyan soil, and textiles, to create her installations and sculptures.

Q: What kind of artist is Wangechi Mutu?

A: Wangechi Mutu is a multidisciplinary artist who works across various mediums, such as collage, painting, sculpture, and installation art. Her work often addresses themes of gender, race, colonialism, and identity, making her a significant contemporary artist with a unique voice in the global art scene.