John Kamicha was born in 1976 and grew up in the studio of his father, the painter Zachariah Mbuthia. But he swerved from that influence, layering his collage-like oils of village and wildlife on top of the ubiquitous, brightly patterned kanga cloths.

John Kamicha struck us as a sensitive observer with the remarkable gift to perceive beauty in subjects where many would see fear or ugliness instead.
His works often elevate the oppressed, the excluded, or confront the viewer with society’s hypocrisy. John freely experiments with techniques and materials, while searching for the best way to capture his ideas and visions. Various of his art works are made on khangas/lessos (women’s traditional wraps). These works are characterized by their richness in details and thought, their sensitive and gentle approach towards the subject matter, and their clear links to customs, traditions and cultural values.

John’s work has been extensively exhibited in Kenya, the Netherlands, and the United States of America. John has, furthermore, conducted various commissions for, among others, the Nairobi National Museum and the British Council.