Rosemary Karuga

Rosemary Karuga is best known for her intricate collages made with paper, scissors and glue. With these easily available materials, Rosemary has made internationally acclaimed work which has been shown extensively in Kenya but also in France, America and other countries.



Ms Karuga was born in 1928 near Meru town and in the 1940s, moved to Nairobi with her mother. After high school, Rosemary was admitted at Makerere University in Uganda, the first Kenyan woman to be admitted there in 1950. She studied art education and taught for a long time since she was not able to make a living as a commercial artist.



This changed after she retired and moved away from the clay sculptures that she mostly did into collage which would become her most successful medium. Elimu Njau of Paa Ya Paa gallery was the first to show her collages at a group exhibition and in 1988, gave Rosemary her first solo exhibition. This was the one that catapulted her into the international art scene as well.



Ms. Karuga's collages often depict animals, landscapes and humans in often bright and intricate detail. She gives a fresh treatment to these elements, giving them her own unique touch, which is what makes her pieces so interesting. "Paper pieces of similar colour are often laid on top of each other, literally creating a third dimension to a two dimensional artwork" writes Mbuthia Maina describing her work.



Rosemary continues to creat work despite failing eyesight and uses a hearing aid. Her work continues to inspire and enrich Kenyan art.