Could East African art be hiding in plain sight?

25 Sep 2026

From East African modernists to contemporary names from across the continent, collectors are taking notice.  Art Auction East Africa | Strauss & Co, is now consigning for works for its second edition.

When did you last really look at the art on your walls? Or, for that matter, at the foldergathering dust under the bed? Perhaps there’s a painting inherited from a great-aunt, something picked up on an adventure in Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, or a work you bought years ago simply because you liked it.

Either way, it might be worth another look. Interest is growing in East African modernists, particularly artists working through the years of decolonisation and independence, and important works from this period may still be sitting in private collections.

Why East Africa?

East African modernism isn’t one movement or style, but many of the artists now attracting attention came of age during a period of enormous change, as countries across the region moved from colonial rule to independence.

There are some great stories among them. Tanzanian artist George Lilanga combined traditional Makonde carving with his own distinctive, surreal style. When Keith Haring encountered Lilanga’s paintings at an exhibition in Washington in 1979, they made such an impression that he later acknowledged their influence on his work. In Kenya, Ancent Soi went from selling woodcarvings and paintings at a Nairobi market to winning a continent-wide competition in 1971 to design a poster for the 1972 Munich Olympics.

There is growing international recognition of modernist artists from East Africa,” says Susie Goodman, Director of Strauss & Co. Last year’s inaugural sale certainly suggested collectors were paying attention. Tanzanian modernists K.F. Msangi and Sam Ntiro led the results, with Msangi’s 1968 Baobab Under the Red Moon selling for more than double its estimate. Modernism was only part of the story: contemporary Kenyan artists Justus Kyalo and Beatrice Wanjiku also attracted strong bidding, and buyers took part from 19 countries.

Beyond borders

Despite the name, Art Auction East Africa | Strauss & Co casts its net beyond the region. Last year’s sale included work by artists from Egypt, Sudan and Zimbabwe alongside East African modernand contemporary artists. Kenyan collectors also showed an appetite for Southern African art. It’s a welcome reminder that art, artists and collectors have never fitted particularly neatly inside borders.

The second edition, a collaboration between Strauss & Co and Nairobi’s Circle Art Agency, takes place in Nairobi on 28 October, with a preview exhibition at Circle Art Gallery in the two weeks before the sale. This year’s sale will also put K.F. Msangi in the spotlight, with works from the Tanzanian artist’s estate offering a look across his career.