"I am a German-born artist living and working in Kenya. My artistic journey is driven by a fascination with nature, light, the human face and the emotional connections between people and their surroundings.

I primarily work with acrylics and mixed media, exploring collage and a variety of natural and found materials. A distinctive part of my practice is creating my own pigments from Kenyan soil. I also incorporate materials such as driftwood, stones and jute, allowing the landscape and its textures to become part of my work.

Curiosity is central to my creative process. I move freely between photorealism, impressionism and abstraction, exploring how colour, light, texture and form influence perception. I am particularly interested in transforming familiar subjects into images that invite the viewer to look again and develop their own interpretation.

Living in Kenya has profoundly influenced my artistic language. The intense light, colours and natural surroundings of East Africa continually find their way into my work, while my European background remains an important part of my perspective.

I deliberately leave many of my works untitled. I want viewers to approach each artwork freely, allowing emotion, memory and personal interpretation to shape their experience."

Martina Petroll at African Arts Gallery

African Arts Gallery is pleased to present Martina Petroll’s work as part of its international programme of contemporary African art. Her practice brings together European roots and contemporary East African experience, while her use of Kenyan earth and natural materials creates a direct connection between place and artistic expression.
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