Episode 276: On Visual Storytelling as a Language for Activism with Michael Soi

Greetings from East Africa Glocal Citizens! Well, kind of…this conversation was recorded last weekend from Nairobi on the eve of Father’s Day and a day after the opening of my guest, Michael Soi’s current group exhibition, The Print Press (https://web.facebook.com/michael.soi.7/posts/the-print-press-is-an-exhibit-of-woodcut-prints-by-various-nairobi-based-artist-/10162204021212545/?_rdc=1&_rdr), an exhibit of woodcut prints by various Nairobi based artist at the Alliance Française de Nairobi 13th - 29th of June. I met Michael in his studio at The Go Down Art Centre (https://thegodown.org) when I first visited Kenya in February and after an inspired conversation I wanted to be sure to share his story here. As you’ll hear, he has been working in Nairobi since 1995 after completion of his fine art and art history studies. His distinctive work is inspired by contemporary life in Nairobi providing a photographic diary of Nairobi. It is also a satirical commentary of social, economic and political trends. His work explores relationships – intergenerational, interracial or generally what he calls the economics of love, commercial sex work and popular culture within the context of globalization and consumerism. A wonderful aspect of Michael’s visual storytelling craft is that he’s figured out the hacks that make his art accessible on many levels from the curious observer to the serious collector. Listen and learn more! Where to find Michael? On Artsy (https://www.artsy.net/artist/michael-soi) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/michaelsoistudio/?hl=en) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/michael.soi.7/) What’s Michael watching? About Planetary Parades or Syzygy (https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/planetary-alignments-and-planet-parades/) Other topics of interest: About Machakos, Kenya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machakos) About Ancent Soi and the 1972 Munich Olympics (https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/arts-and-culture/article/2000140196/the-great-artiste-who-painted-the-1972-olympics-poster#google_vignette) About the Kuona Trust Residencies (http://kuonatrust.org/who-we-are/programmes/) National Museums of Kenya (https://museums.or.ke) About Kenya’s second President Daniel arap Moi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_arap_Moi) Special Guest: Michael Soi.