Dickens Otieno
'Panya Routes'
The artist reflects on migratory movements by drawing a parallel between animal tracks and the daily commute of people on ‘panya’ (meaning rat in Swahili) roads. Informed by techniques used for natural fibres, shredded aluminium was woven on a galvanised loom made of wire mesh. The resulting piece reflects on how living creatures contour natural and artificial milieus.
Panya Routes, 2023
5930 x 3110 x 190 mm
Shredded aluminium cans and galvanised steel mesh
Known for his large-scale woven metal sculptures, Dickens Otieno drew early inspiration from his mother’s tailoring business. In 2022, he represented Kenya at the Venice Biennale and has presented solo exhibitions in Los Angeles and Nairobi. His work has also been shown at numerous art fairs across the world.
"Dickens Otieno’s work is monumental in terms of its scale but actually looks at really small, everyday movements."
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