Widow of the late Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, Wambui Wamae Kamiru, has been carving her own path as a conceptual and installation artist.
Known for her deeply reflective and socially engaged installations, she spends her time stretching the boundaries of storytelling and audience engagement through art.
Wambui’s work sits at the intersection of identity and independence. As a conceptual and installation artist, Wambui is also the founder and curator of The Art Space, a contemporary gallery in Westlands.
In its almost 10 years of existence, The Art Space has showcased an impressive lineup of solo exhibitions, including works by artists such as Frank Whalley, Rehemah Nanfuka, Michael Soi, and the late Ondiri Ondicho.
My studio allows me a space for experimentation and gathering thoughts. I am surrounded by a positive, strong artist community, where we share our skills and resources to help grow our practice.
Being based in Nairobi means that I have access to vibrancy, which is very special. The vibrancy breeds conversations, and I explore them and ideas of what I want to create.
On July 26, 2025, Wambui took part in a public showing of works created during an etching and aquatint workshop led by artists Abdul and Peterson Kamwathi.
In April 2024, her growing impact on the African contemporary art scene was recognized when she was selected as one of the top three artists for the 2024 Henrike Grohs Art Award.
The accolade celebrates exceptional contemporary artists living and working in Africa.
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Her Achievements and Artwork
Born and raised in Kenya, she began her artistic journey as a painter and evolved into a celebrated installation artist, known for her immersive exhibitions that encourage audiences to move, touch, and even disrupt the artworks themselves.
In an interview in May 2025, during her residency at the BEMIS Center for Contemporary Arts, Wambui explained that her installations feature everyday materials, including analog VHS tapes, and are designed for movement.
Audiences are encouraged to touch, rearrange, add, or even remove elements, becoming part of the story rather than just viewers
“I like to create artwork where people can move, add or take away things. I like that an artwork is not static and that people bring it to life,” she said.
One of her latest works, titled History Repeats Itself, debuted during her residency. It is a striking, tactile piece that uses VHS tapes to explore memory.
She stated that her residency allowed her to map out her next five years creatively.
“I tend to work in five year chuncks and i had the opportunity to plan what’s to come for the next 5 years and create new works. The piece history Repeats itself is an an interactive art work,” she explained.
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Wambui Wamae Kamiru’s Education
Wambui holds an MSc in African Studies with a focus on Violence, History, and Memory from the University of Oxford.
Her education informs her visual storytelling. Often, she incorporates research, lived experience, and community insights into artworks that are personal and hold space for reflection and provocation.
Wambui Kamiru Collymore is right here, building, questioning, healing, and inviting others to do the same.
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