SEGERA RETREAT – HOME OF THE ZEITZ MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART AFRICA
(Posted 31st July 2015)
Tourism and Culture are ever more closely linked and this is very evident at the Segera Retreat of the Zeitz Foundation, which is located on the conservancy of the same name. Besides hosting the Zeitz MOCAA, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Africa, have the owners now added an artist residency programme from which guests can benefit. Peterson Kamwathi will take up a month’ residency at the retreat, the first ever to be invited and the launch pad if not the proverbial guinea pig – no pun intended – for future invitations to artists from across Africa.
The Zeitz MOCAA Artist Residency Programme at Segera plans to invite artists whose work engages with identity, history, geography, landscape or discourse of the African continent. It is an opportunity for artists to spend time in nature – a time for contemplation, research and the ability to engage with Africa not only from a Metropolitan point of view. Segera offers artists in residence crucial support, for them to use their time at the Retreat to work through questions in their practice, without the distraction the mundane daily tasks they would usually have to deal with at home. An added benefit will be the presence of qualified wildlife scientists available for consultation, engagement with surrounding communities and cultures. Add to that the presence of the Zeitz Foundation team to support and interpret the landscape, flora and fauna, and a closeness with nature that amplifies pressing issues such as climate change and responsible ecosystem management brings value to the artists’ experience.
Visiting Segera as a tourist visitor, when an artist is in residence, offers guests an extraordinary opportunity to directly engage with some of the leading African artists of our time. Through experiencing this inspiring environment side by side, including dining together, studio visits, artist’s talks and other social activities, select guests will be able to learn first-hand about the artist’s work, their research at Segera, their studio practice and the current issues they are engaging with. This is a rare opportunity to be in the presence of individuals who are creating the history of art of our time.
Born in 1980 in Nairobi, Peterson Kamwathi’s substantial body of work has established him as one of the most evocative and aesthetically compelling artists working in East Africa today. Created in a figurative tradition, Kamwathi’s works are also highly conceptual, focusing on distinct topics and executed with technical prowess. His social, political and cultural themes are rooted in the Kenyan context that surround him but also take account of global phenomena. Kamwathi’s work has been exhibited in numerous venues around the world including Kenya, UK, USA, Netherlands, Austria, El Salvador, Finland and his work is represented in the permanent collection of Zeitz MOCAA, selections of which are currently on show at Segera Retreat.
Segera is centrally located in the heart of Laikipia, one of Africa’s and the world’s most exciting safari destinations. This part of Kenya boasts the second highest density of wildlife including elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, reticulated giraffe, Lelwel’s hartebeest and providing a refuge for endangered species such as Grevy’s zebra, Patas monkey and African wild dog. As the East African hub of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), Segera throughout the retreat displays striking, relevant and at times culturally and socially challenging artworks from the Zeitz Collection.
Segera is a destination for adventure close up to nature but also for spiritual reflection and peace. By pioneering the unique and holistic 4Cs approach to sustainability (a balance of Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce), Segera Retreat is not only a beautiful place to be, but was created over a decade ago to inspire visitors to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Fusing absolute luxury with environmentally friendly technology, the feel is nothing short of eclectic, almost a sense of a collector’s objet trouvé with personalized interiors, while the extensive art collection punctuates open spaces with drama. There’s a sense of monumentality, of textured wood, hand-smoothed stones softened by fringes of twisted thatch roofs and light dripping through locally-made recycled glass chandeliers. As the East African hub of Zeitz MOCAA, Segera strives to strengthen intercultural relationships and understanding, safeguarding cultural heritage while raising awareness of cultural diversity.
There are few places in Kenya where tourism, conservation, culture, community and art are so skilfully blended together than at Segera, just one more of many reasons why Kenya is worth a visit.
For more details click on www.segera.com or else visit https://www.facebook.com/GreaterSegera
