Elias Mung'ora

​The Descendants

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'The Descendants' is a series of work that continues my exploration of missionary work during the colonial period and the
lasting legacy that continues to date.

The work is primarily based on the East Africa Scottish Mission in Tumutumu, from where my family trace their Christian
heritage.

The missionaries were interested in all areas of daily life, from education and spirituality to local customs, from marriage to
circumcision and including the mundane; cooking, personal hygiene and mode of dress.

​Elias Mung'ora - Nairobi - April 2025

Born in Nyeri, Elias Mung’ora initially studied real estate and property management
before changing course to pursue a career as an artist. He works predominantly in
painting, combining it with other mediums such as drawing and photo collage. His
practice is a tool with which to explore the complex and multiple histories of his
home country with a specific interest in its colonial history. An important focus of his
practice has been colonial land policies which led to indigenous communities losing
their land related rights and practices, a factor which continues to shape
contemporary realities.

Lately, he has broadened his approach by researching the
work of early Scottish Christian Missionaries in East Africa, in a bid to understand
their role in the colonisation project.

Mung’ora has been an active member of Brush
Tu Artist Studio since 2015. He was an Absa L’Atelier finalist in 2017 and has
participated in exhibitions in Kenya, South Africa, Italy, the USA, and France. He is
currently a student of anthropology at the University of Nairobi.​