Irene Katumbi, b. 1986 in Machakos, is a self-taught Kenyan figurative painter who is freely defining her own path with an aim to voice her personal experiences around women empowerment. This has greatly pushed her to explore narratives around feminism and open discussions around these systematic inequalities faced by young women daily.

Through her bold figurative paintings, she’s able to express her own journey in life influenced by culture, feminism and personal experiences. Her subjects strongly portray an assertion and confidence of women despite their environment and community. Her focus on the eyes is very intentional, mostly to capture the viewers and draw them into the artwork. She strongly believes that through the eyes, the soul of her imaginary subjects speaks.

By using thick layers of acrylic on canvas she invites the viewer into her artistic process, a feeling she describes as ‘a way into the soul of my muses’. To her, the eyes signify hope though sometimes they give a deeper yearning for freedom from self and the surrounding.

Also, she’s highly inspired by legendary and significant Kenyan women like the late Professor Wangari Mathai whose voice and fight on equality has given us great strides as a country and gender. Lastly, she puts an emphasis on hair to portray freedom and self-expression.

She currently works from home in Athi River, Machakos County, Kenya.