Orchardson-Mazrui: My brand of feminism doesn’t ostracise men

Prof Elizabeth Orchardson-Mazrui is not your conventional artist. The granddaughter of celebrated Scottish artist Sir William Quiller Orchardson makes it clear from the onset that she does not like to be defined by any particular form of art, and rightly so.

For if there were a single term to describe a painter, sculptor, printer, writer, ceramicist, graphic designer, textile artist, photographer and digital painter, then perhaps Liz, as she likes to be referred to, would accept to be boxed in.

One label that she does not object to is that of a feminist.

“I subscribe to the kind of feminism that does not ostracise men,” she clarifies.

Her feminism is evident in most of her books, including Adventures of Mekatilili, Sheila, Let’s Write to God (placed second at the biennial Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature literary award, in the English book for children category), Bittersweet: The Pain and Joy of Being (poetry anthology), Seasons of the Jacaranda (short story anthology), Recriminations, and Lamentations and Ululations (poetry anthology). She has also penned two plays, Nzinga, The Warrior Queen and The Lion of Egerton Castle.

Weekend magazine recently caught up with the prolific artist and former Kenyatta University lecturer.

How have you mastered so many forms of art?

I went to a good art school in Britain where you do not get in unless you had a portfolio of work, unlike here where art is an option for those who could not get into the courses they really wanted.

You are accepted there based on your portfolio, not your grades.

I am also one of those weird people that like to keep experimenting. I am self-motivated.

So what are you experimenting with right now?

(Laughs) Well, I just had a huge exhibition at Karen Village recently. I am also curating Elimo Njau’s ‘Honouring the Elders in the Arts’ event this Saturday at Paa Ya Paa, so in a way I have become an art curator.

This is the second edition of the ‘Honouring the Elders in the Arts’ event after the first one in 2013. Why did you feel it was necessary?

I thought of all the pioneer artists that we take for granted, and Elimo Njau was one of the first ones that came to mind. The previous event honoured Muthoni Likimani.

My relationship with Paa Ya Paa started 26 years ago, as this was where I held my first ever major art exhibition .I have been here for many events over the years.

This event is my way of giving back to Paa Ya Paa and honouring Elimo Njau, who is among the first crop of trained East African Artists who received training at Makerere University.

Paa Ya Paa is not your typical gallery, but the space can work for an exhibition. The most wonderful gift for them right now would not just be finances, but also preservation and conservation of art works. I am doing this because I do not want to wake up one day and feel like we have forgotten those who laid the foundation for us in the arts. I would love to honour Pheroze Nowrojee and Yash Pal Ghai in the next events.

You went up Mount Kenya on crutches…

I did that because I had cancer. Previously, I had been a very sporty person, and when I lost my legs, all I could think of was that I could no longer swim or play hockey and it was devastating. I decided to climb Mt Kenya on crutches to prove to myself that perhaps I can still do something.

Would you say that it was your most seminal experience?

Not particularly. Of course when you have things like cancer and end up disabled, it changes your perception in life.

Perhaps one of the most important things I have done is being in the task force that drafted the disability bill. The things that help disabled people today are our work. For me, that is an achievement.

Tell me about some of the most memorable responses you have had about your work?

During my art exhibition at Karen Village, the art lovers that came in actually thought there was more than one artist in the room because of the kind of versatility I displayed.

I was also excited by the number of young people who came to the exhibition and were so curious about different art forms, especially digital art.

Kenyans are more familiar with graphic art than the paintings I do where I use a mouse, and the computer screen is my canvas.

Let’s talk about your resignation from teaching at Kenyatta University after 30-plus years.

I really got fed up with teaching and quit in April last year. I felt that I had reached a point where I wasn’t making an impact on my students any more. I was giving away so much to my students with hardly any feedback from them.

When my computer was stolen, by people I suspected were my students, it was the last straw. It’s not the computer that was important to me, but just what the act meant. I also felt that the art department had become one of recycling, with no new research conducted. I wanted to leave teaching, the endless departmental meetings, and just enjoy my life.

Are you living off your art now?

I manage financially from my investments. My so-called monthly pension is pathetic at Sh76,000. My salary was less than Sh200,000.

What is your dream project in art?

I want to go large scale. I have been working on A2 size of canvases, but I want to work on bigger canvases, perhaps eight feet by five.

I want to also go abstract, as opposed to my usual semi-abstract pieces, which are also very feminist. Now that I am free of my teaching duties, I may actually stage one of my plays, Nzinga, The Warrior Queen.

What should we expect this Saturday?

For people who have forgotten what Elimo’s art is all about, then this is the place to be. His art pieces from as early as 1954 will be on display. We will also have a book launch by Harold Miller titled The Murang’a Murals.

Elimo was commissioned to paint the mural in 1956, at the height of Kenya’s Mau Mau war of independence.

The guest of honour, Pheroze Noworjee, will also be reading his poetry on the murals.