Wangechi Mutu

Kenyan visual artist whose provocative works address colonialism, gender, and environmental issues

Wangechi Mutu (born 1972) is a Nairobi-born visual artist whose multimedia works challenge dominant narratives about race, gender, and environmental exploitation. Her mixed-media collages and sculptures combine elements of African traditional art with futuristic dystopian imagery to critique colonial legacies and patriarchal structures. Mutu's work gained international recognition in the early 2000s but saw significant impact during 2014-2019 through exhibitions like the 2015 Venice Biennale and her 2017 solo show at the Serpentine Gallery in London. She co-founded the Nairobi-based collective 'Women in Art' in 2016 to support emerging female artists across Africa. Mutu's 2018 collaboration with climate scientist Dr. James Hansen produced groundbreaking installations linking environmental degradation to systemic oppression. Her 2019 TED Talk 'Art as Radical Healing' has been viewed over 2.5 million times. Learn more at her official site or explore her work in MoMA's collection here.