Photography is an intimate art. At some level, photographers must capture the souls of their subjects on film. This often requires a level of empathy and intuition besides a love of the art itself.
From 1963 till his death in 1989, my father, Kulwant Singh Warah, popularly known as Mr. Singh of Studio One, was one of the most popular photographers in Kenya. Portraits had become a craze during this time and every home had a special wall dedicated to family photos – of weddings, graduations and all the other important events that marked Kenyan lives. My father was often there to capture these moments. He was also known as the photographer most popular with Kenya’s political elite; almost every politician has been captured by him on film.
Here are some of the faces of both well-known and ordinary Kenyans my father painted with his camera. To me, they tell a story that could not be possibly be described in words.
Thanks for sharing these. The portraits of the less famous Kenyans, especially the one of the old Kikuyu mama are beautiful.
Thank you for immortalising my father’s work on your site, wish he was here to see it.
Rasna, there is something romantic about black & white photography. I love the four portraits – that breathe mystery, glamour and power. Thank you for sharing these with us…
Thanks Rasna for bringing back memories from the 60′s, of the trips we used to make to Studio One. We still cherish all the family & other photos that your father took of us.
rasna, those are beautiful. studio one must have an absolutely amazing image archive. it would be so great to do a number of curated photo exhibitions, so key right now as we try to place recent events in historical context.
Asante sana. I look forward to the day that many can walk into a gallery and breath in Warah’s photographic work. Poignant.
Amazing!
Rasna, any chance I could buy the portrait of ‘a man from the coast’ ?
Absolutely beautiful!! No need for words, the pictures say it all…beautiful!
Alex,
Now is your chance to get a blown up copy of the smiling man from the coast. The Goethe Institute has put it on their promotional poster for the Piga Picha exhibition that opens on 24 July at the Nairobi Gallery (old PC;s office off Uhuru Highway). So grab the poster.
Rasna
Is that Daniel Toroitich arap Moi looking so innocent and vulnerable as he stares at the eye of the camera?
Hola, te deseo muchos éxitos en tu retorno a las pistas de tennis.
Espero poder disfrutar de tu juego en el tour ATP del 2010.
Hola, te deseo muchos éxitos en tu retorno a las pistas de tennis.
Espero poder disfrutar de tu juego en el tour ATP del 2010.
Some might already be in it and want to progress to the next level or new business venture or you are wondering will you ever find your ideal career and purpose in life
I think there is a job or career out there for everyone to love if they only searched or could see it.
Some might already be in it and want to progress to the next level or new business venture or you are wondering will you ever find your ideal career and purpose in life…?
I am grateful and amazed that this small photo gallery generated so much goodwill and nostalgia. Wish my father was around to savour the comments. The Piga Picha exhibition ended in July after a whole year but the response was great. Am hoping the Goethe Institute will do a book about it. So there is much to look forward to. Keep on clicking. And yes, that is Daniel Toroitich posing for my father’s camera.