Five Almasi Art Agency Artists

to keep an eye
on in 2026

Atieno Sachy - Sculptor

ASENATH KEMUNTO - MIXED MEDIA

19 SEPTEMBER 2025

MUNENE KARIITHI - PAINTER

In some instances, the complexity of a piece leaves the viewer in awe. Asenath’s work falls in this category and having just started participating in group shows recently, her pieces present a great opportunity to collect.

“Big 5- Leopard” by Asenath Kemunto shows the detail in her process

Simply put, art is how our brain interacts with and interprets what we see. In this case, Munene Kariithi seems to cater to the various factors that make up an engaging piece with regards to colour, composition and depth as his pieces draw the viewer in and feed the senses.

5 KENYAN AAA ARTISTS TO KEEP AN EYE ON IN 2026

It is difficult to stand out when surrounded by a plethora of artistic talent.

Representing a stable of over 70 artists from more than 20 countries, we have compiled a list of five Kenyan artists that offer notable value to the collector heading into the new year.

This selection takes into account, above all else, the art collectors return on their investment with the criteria being the current status of the artists/artwork vis a vis Almasi Art Agency’s projection on their growth. A value proposition if you will.

In his work, Munene creates from harmonious colours, the hustle and bustle of big City life, the buzz of the streets and a feeling that there are numerous engagements and conversations taking place. Having already exhibited in some of Kenya’s best spaces, Munene is ready to explode into the new year, just like his pieces abound in colour.

These artists are on the up and up with regards to their artistic profile. Their natural ability to portray subjects and tell stories powerfully, even without the benefit of great experience holds them in good stead as we head into the year 2026.

If you are interested in any of their work, or have any inquiries on collecting fine African art, reach us on email.

In an artist’s career, their personal and professional value moves up with every show they take part in. This is their resume. In the rare case they decide not to take part in shows or produce new work, the exclusivity of artwork that is already in the market grows: a win-win.

”Bega Kwa Bega”, a cityscape by Munene Kariithi

Sculpting is a male-dominated field, but in Atieno Sachy, the Kenyan sculpture scene has a very competent and able practitioner of the trade. It takes years to perfect the art of welding reclaimed pieces of metal into aesthetic and proportional everyday subjects; however, Sachy has been able to master this, an ability that belies her tender years.

For an artist who is still in university, Sachy’s work doesn’t only foster sustainable art through recycling materials like metal and stained glass, it also tells tales of strength, success through hard work, discipline and steely determination.

Derrick Munene is a master of precision. His work concentrates on execution through fine details. His most common medium is paper collage on canvas where he employs nothing but paper, carefully rendering life to his subjects by curating each piece of paper to suit its unique role in the composition.

Derrick has been involved in a number of shows within the country. His work remains a staple in Almasi Art Agency’s gallery space and is very well collected within and without Kenya. His maps, in many ways, whether superimposed or stuck side-by-side, place people in places that compel memories. Powerful reminders for his collectors.

When we first interacted with Kamau Kariuki’s art, the assumption was made that he created his subjects through pointillism as they are pixelated close up. We were wrong. Kamau uses acrylic paint and the impasto technique to layer his work into existence.

Kamau’s work places emphasis on emotions, with the eyes of his subjects being a mainstay. They are nostalgic, not just because they represent nomadic pastoralist African subjects, but because they represent the culture and its people.

Kamau’s work features emotive scenes, very well brought out in “Shepherd’s Daughter”

Wildlife is a very common subject among African artists with different executions and approaches taken to portray one of the continent’s most iconic draws. Asenath Kemunto’s approach, however, sets her apart. Using recycled rubber sheets, the artist chares the surface of her work, carves her pieces in relief, then paints them in acrylic to create almost lifelike images; a powerful method.

Atieno Sachy, “Natafuta Salary”- a piece that emphasizes the fruits of labour