Shajara

O4 - 31 August 2024

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Omondi J Okello’s body of work, "Shajara" is a project that intertwines the meanings of the word

"Sharara"—diary in Swahili and tree in Arabic—to explore the concepts of gravitropism. Through this diary, the artist chronicles a journey taken via public transport, where mundane travels become a backdrop for intergalactic stories and vibrant imagery.

The project captures diverse experiences, from love and burnout to long-distance travels and new friendships, reflecting both positive and negative gravitropism—roots that ground and shoots that aspire.

Each work represents a step in the quest to find conceptual thoughts and experiences. In essence "Shajara" is a living diary, an artistic representation of life's growth, capturing the interplay between grounded experiences and lofty aspirations, much like a tree reaching for the sky while firmly rooted in the earth