Louis Netter

Mukuru in Nairobi is surrounded by heavily polluting industry. Around this industry, locals have built an industry around selling waste including burning electrical wiring for the valuable metals inside. This produces a thick and toxic smoke. This man was smoking on top of the toxic fumes. Residents also go through rubbish to find valuable items for either re-purposing or for their value. This man had a compelling face and the combination of dangerous activities seemed to typify the desperation that some endure in the slum.

There are many anachronistic sightings in Nairobi. This was witnessed out the window of our taxi going to Mukuru. Sometimes the landscape, with rubbish and various improvised structures, creates accidental moments of poetry. This man was also in a no man’s land between busy roads and the edge of the city. The margin walkers exist in every urban environment I have witnessed and they have always presented interesting questions about their intentions, day to day life and where they go from here.

Mukuru roads are incredibly rough with drainage often flooding them and potholes that make taxi drivers wince. This was a morning scene when shops and street sellers were opening their businesses. It is a vibrant scene with a buzz of activity and some despondency. There is movement and action in every corner of the visual field of view. This drawing is an amalgamation of seen things from the passenger side of a taxi. The drawing is about human activity, the start to a busy day. Nairobi is in perpetual motion. I hope this drawing captures the buzz of activity and the way people survive and thrive in such places.