Naitiemu Nyanjom: Deconfining. Arts, Culture and Politics in Europe and Africa

Описание: In this interview, Naitiemu Nyanjom, a visual, material, and performance artist from Kenya, reflects on her artistic practice and research developed within the Deconfining project. Her work explores the deep connections between nature, culture, and humanity, with a particular focus on mental health, female consciousness, and holistic ways of understanding the world.

The conversation touches on:

the intersection of nature and culture as a way to tell stories about mental health, spirituality, and shared humanity,

herbs and indigenous trees as sources of healing, knowledge, and connection across past, present, and future,

the historical role of women as healers and the gendered, political dimensions of medicine and health,

decolonizing approaches to nature, healing, and indigenous knowledge systems,

parallels between African and Polish traditions related to herbs, rituals, and spirituality,

inspiration drawn from encounters with herbalists, rituals, landscapes, and everyday practices,

challenges of mobility and visa processes faced by artists, alongside reflections on hospitality, warmth, and belonging,

the importance of diversity, interconnectedness, and celebrating both similarities and differences among people,

plans to work with sound, landscape, stories, and historical spaces as living archives of human experience.

The interview is a poetic and thoughtful reflection on healing, ecology, femininity, and the idea that all life forms are deeply interconnected—inviting us to rethink division and embrace unity through nature and shared histories.

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Deconfining. Arts, Culture and Politics in Europe and Africa is an international initiative that brings together artists, institutions, and researchers from the European Union and African countries. Its aim is to open spaces for dialogue—both symbolically and practically—where history and contemporary realities have long built walls. The Art Transparent Foundation from Wrocław co-creates Deconfining, fostering artistic, educational, and curatorial exchange, as well as building lasting relationships between the regions.

The project’s partner in Tanzania is Nafasi Art Space – one of the most important centres of contemporary art in East Africa. It is in Dar es Salaam on 5 February 2026, that a unique exhibition will open, presenting the results of the Deconfining artistic residencies.

Audiences in Tanzania will see works by five artists that premiered earlier this year during the 23rd SURVIVAL Art Review in Wrocław – one of the largest and most recognized festivals of contemporary art in public space in Poland. The exhibition will also feature a new installation by Kenyan artist Naitiemu Nyanjom, created especially for the presentation in Dar es Salaam.

This encounter of cultures and perspectives shows that art can serve as a tool for decolonizing the imagination, opening new narratives, and enabling collective action across divisions. Deconfining in Dar es Salaam is not only a presentation of artworks, but also an invitation to a conversation about the future we can create together—despite contemporary challenges and complexities.