Crossed Perspectives on Kenyan Society, currently showing at the Alliance Française, is a duo exhibition featuring works by Newton Eshivachi and Joseph Bertiers. The show opened on 5 August and runs until 31 August 2025.
The idea for the exhibition emerged when the current Alliance Française director visited Bertiers together with Newton. As a collector of two of Bertiers’ works, the visit was both a personal catch-up and an introduction of Newton to the internationally acclaimed artist, perhaps because the director sensed that the two shared a similar artistic outlook.
Since the director is concluding his tenure in Kenya, he chose to mark the end of his time with a joint presentation of Bertiers and Newton—an intriguing pairing. What stands out, however, is the clear gap between the two: not only in age, but also in experience. One could argue that each artist might have been better served through separate solo exhibitions, but time simply did not allow for it.
‘Dialogue’ Food For Thought
A Joseph Bertiers’ reflection of the series of ‘Gen Z’ youth-led protests, highlighting the events of 25 June 2024
For the first time in Kenya’s history, the country came to a standstill—not because of the familiar opposition rallies often led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his team, but because of the youth. Frustrated and discontented, young Kenyans poured into the streets to voice their anger over rising living costs, insecurity, government corruption, and police brutality. This time, their message was unmistakable: carrying protest signs reading “Ruto Must Go,” they openly called for the resignation of the sitting president.
In the past, the government often responded to unrest by calling for dialogue, making vague promises of better education or job opportunities, or attempting to quell outrage over police brutality, insecurity, and the disappearances, abductions, and killings of perceived youth leaders. This time, however, the state’s reaction was far harsher. Security forces were deployed not only with tear gas and water cannons, but also with live bullets—and allegedly snipers—in a bid to crush the protests through force.
Tragically, lives were lost. Yet despite the casualties, the youth pressed forward, culminating in the storming of Kenya’s Parliament—a defiant act meant to send an unmistakable message to the political class.
Some argue that the recent protests were infiltrated by goons hired by sections of the political class to distort the narrative—painting the Gen Z–led demonstrations as violent attempts to destroy property and businesses. The reality, however, is that Kenya has witnessed a rise in insecurity cases, abductions, killings, and police brutality, compounded by poor governance, a weakening judicial system, rampant corruption, and the embezzlement of public funds and resources.
Politics, as often said, is a dirty game. In his work, Joseph Bertiers captures these deep-seated ills of Kenyan society, blending bold, direct statements with symbolism to raise awareness and provoke reflection on pressing social and political issues.
Bertiers’ powerful role in sensitizing the public about socio-political issues
In many of Joseph Bertiers’ paintings, pigs serve as a powerful symbol of greed—particularly within the political class and society at large. This insatiable greed has eroded critical systems such as education, healthcare, and development programs intended for infrastructure. By May 2025, Kenya’s public debt had surged to Kshs 11.5 trillion, placing the nation in a precarious economic position. Citizens now endure heavy taxation, while vast portions of public revenue are siphoned into offshore accounts or withdrawn in suspiciously large cash sums. These funds often resurface as generous contributions at church fundraisers or public events, strategically used to secure political mileage.
As a result, essential services are collapsing, and the cost of living continues to soar. Unemployment remains a pressing issue, poignantly depicted in Bertiers’ work through the sign “JOBLESS KONA.” The disturbing trend of “goons for hire” further underscores how political leaders exploit unemployed youths to violently suppress peaceful protests—an indictment of systemic failure and social decay that Bertiers’ art confronts head-on.
“The Gen Z are our children, and if the government had put proper measures in place or paid attention to their grievances, all this chaos and loss of life could have been avoided.”
He says as he points to the helicopters in his work, representing water cannons, and to the dramatic scene of youths storming Kenya’s Parliament buildings.
The depiction of a police officer firing into a crowd of protesters and STOP POLICE BRUTALITY signs underscores the enduring issue of police brutality in Kenya—a problem that has persisted since independence. I appreciate Bertiers’ keen attention to detail and the witty bluntness with which he delivers his message. His work ultimately serves as a powerful tool for activism.
Joseph employs symbolism to deliver layered social critiques. For instance, his use of nudity and the vulgar imagery of two different animals engaged in an obscene sexual act serves as a metaphor for the moral decay within our society. While some may condemn such depictions as immoral, Joseph defends his approach as a more honest form of expression—one that, in his view, is far more transparent than the conduct of the political elite or the clergy, who have long aligned themselves with those in power within places of worship.
POLITRICKS CHURCH
The name of the church underscores the ambiguous relationship between religion and the political class. In the scene, what appears to be a wedding ceremony has been disrupted by goons—depicted as bulls—alongside politicians. The church itself is engulfed in flames while angels desperately try to salvage the situation. A pond, intended for baptism, stands as a symbol of purity now overshadowed by chaos. The name POLITRICKS satirically conveys the idea of trickery and deception within the church. The message is stark: the church has lost its moral authority by offering politicians a platform to spread lies and deceit.
Politics and Religion
A dedicated Christian and family man, Bertiers does not shy away from exposing the wrongdoings within important institutions like the church.
“The church has entertained the political class for a long time, turning places of worship into platforms for deceit and greed,” he remarks. Joseph points out that, over the years, many religious leaders have lost their relevance, often preaching water while drinking wine.
He argues that the church should provide moral guidance on ethical issues in politics and governance, challenge corruption, police brutality, abductions, and extrajudicial killings, and promote accountability. More importantly, it should serve as a moral authority capable of shaping political discourse.
The relationship between the church and government remains strong, with politicians frequently using religion to gain influence, expand their voter base, and project a righteous image. By offering cash gifts during services and fundraisers, they attempt to “buy” righteousness and persuade congregations into supporting them at the ballot.
Art Journey & Creative Process
Bertiers (b.1963) primarily works with oils on canvas, but during breaks, he experiments with sculpture, often using scrap metal. His sculptures range from medium-sized depictions of crowded matatus—capturing quintessential scenes of Kenyan everyday life—to larger-than-life figures representing journalists, musicians, and women, extending the themes explored in his paintings.
Over the years, he has explored themes such as HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, migration, and politics. To achieve a distinctive earthy brown tone in some of his sculptures, he applies muratina, a local brew, to accelerate rusting, which gives his sculptures a uniquely African touch. Some of his works are also finished with Duco paint and clear varnish for durability, allowing many of them to withstand outdoor conditions.
Completing one of his monumental metallic matatu takes at least six months—a creative process he describes as organic and rooted in assemblage, with ideas emerging when he is in the right mood. Speaking of mood, while we were talking, Bertiers noticed a piano in the exhibition space and spontaneously began to play, while I continued engaging with his work.
Bertiers is an all-round artist and an avid consumer of both local and international news, which continually fuels his creativity. In works such as The Entire World is Watching, he highlights global issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and America’s superpower status—pointing out the irony of the world looking up to the U.S. while it grapples with pressing domestic issues such as the Los Angeles fires, gun violence, black lives matter, and ongoing debates around LGBTQI rights.
What has remained constant throughout his practice is his humor and his ability to chronologically capture both historical, social, and political events globally. Since independence, he has documented Kenya’s political landscape with sharp wit, while also addressing international politics in some of his pieces.
I first met Bertiers for a conversation in 2019, and again in 2022 after COVID, just weeks before the general elections. In our discussions, he described his process of political commentary before and after elections as a means of creating social awareness. Through humorous yet sophisticated messages, his art offers a unique perspective to important public discussions of social and political issues.
Bertiers trained at the YMCA Crafts Training Centre in the 1970s, though much of his artistic practice and technique is self-taught. He began his career as a sign writer for local businesses and a part-time graphic designer before transitioning into a full-time artist, actively promoting his work at a local restaurant. While some argue that Bertiers could have sold his work for more at the time, he was more focused on building a long-term relationship and securing a steady income.
A pivotal moment in his journey came when he met in the 80s Ernie Wolfe, an American art collector and dealer who would become one of his biggest supporters. Wolfe began collecting Bertiers’ work from their very first meeting, acquiring his early pieces—paintings done on metal plates. Bertiers presented his debut exhibition, Bertiers Garden, at Ernie Wolfe Gallery in Los Angeles in 1989. This connection led to a series of shows in the United States and across multiple institutions in Europe as well. In 2006, he won the first juried art competition organized jointly by the Alliance Francaise and the Goethe Institut. The prize included a grand tour of the two European countries where he visited major art galleries, museums, and artists’ studios. The same year, he was number eight out of the top 10 award-winning artists at Dak’Art in Senegal; the accolade was meant to include trips to Dakar and southern France, where he’d been given a two-month art residence. His most successful international solo exhibition was in Los Angeles in 2016, where he sold most of his pieces. Locally, he has showcased his work at One Off Contemporary Art Gallery and Alliance Française, Nairobi.
Bertiers admits that working toward solo exhibitions nowadays has been a challenge, largely because his work is in high demand. Many of his pieces are commissioned, with some ending up in international private collections, auction houses, museums, and institutions where they are used for academic lectures or to raise public awareness on social and political issues.
When asked whether his art has ever landed him in trouble with the government or institutions such as the church, he laughs it off. According to him, before it was a big issue, but now, people understand, usually dismiss his work as the product of someone who is “crazy” or “probably high,” echoing the stereotype that artists are always under the influence of something.
Bertiers is truly one of a kind in our time. Yet, I believe he remains underrepresented. His work deserves more visibility in our national museums and in institutions and organizations engaged in governance and the socio-political discourse of our country.
