This month, Nairobi's cultural scene hits one of its annual highlights as the 14th Art Auction East Africa unfolds live at Circle Art Gallery on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, starting at 7 pm East Africa Time. Those who cannot be there in person can also follow the sale through the Strauss & Co Invaluable platform, which takes the bidding room far beyond the gallery's doors.
The auction features 67 lots, divided equally between modern and contemporary pieces by artists from seven countries, with a strong focus on rare works that have changed hands on the secondary market since the 1960s. Kenyan buyers will be especially drawn to pieces by Samuel Wanjau and Meek Gichugu, whose roles in shaping the country's modernist tradition have made them increasingly prized as the East African art market grows.
The sale's regional reach is just as impressive. Alongside celebrated Sudanese names such as Ahmed Shibrain, Salah Elmur and Rashid Diab, Ugandan artists Fabian Mpagi, Francis Nnaggenda and Kefa Frederick Sempangi are represented, while Tanzanians Kiure Francis Msangi and Edward Saidi Tingatinga complete the East African lineup. The auction also makes its debut with works by Nigerian modernist Bruce Onobrakpeya and Congolese artist Cheri Cherin, signaling its ambition to reach well beyond the region.
Founded in 2013 by Danda Jaroljmek, Art Auction East Africa has spent over ten years championing artists who emerged during decolonisation and independence, while working to establish a lasting secondary market for regional art. In recent years, this commitment has grown stronger through a partnership with Strauss & Co, Africa's foremost auction house. Their first joint sale in 2025, held with Circle Art Agency, attracted buyers from East Africa, Southern Africa and further afield, and Msangi's Baobab Under the Red Moon (1968) sold for KES 3,522,000, more than twice its pre-sale estimate.
All 67 lots will be displayed at Circle Art Gallery during the two weeks before the auction, giving collectors and institutions time to study the works before bidding opens. As the market continues to earn international recognition, the sale is as much a statement of Nairobi’s growing stature as a collecting destination as it is an evening of hammer prices. Interested bidders can register and explore the full catalogue, complete with artist biographies and condition reports, via artauctioneastafrica.com or straussart.co.za.