Humour and retrospection are explored in Aftermath, a solo exhibition by Meshack Okeyo of 16 paintings, which opened on May 9 at Annex Gallery in the Kibera Arts District.
Curated by Santana Sino, the exhibition runs until June 21 and examines the split-second realisations that follow human error, such as the forgotten lock and the overlooked detail, and their consequences.
Working primarily in acrylic on canvas, with selected oil paintings, Okeyo uses humour and exaggerated scenarios to explore carelessness and self-awareness while employing lowbrow and comic art to portray scenes that feel familiar and recognisable from their own lives.
“The idea of Aftermath was to use humour to educate people to be cautious about normal things that happen in life. I want people to see themselves in the paintings and make some adjustments of character,” he says.
In one painting titled At the In-Laws, a woman visiting her in-laws presents her best self while preparing tea, only to be distracted and let it spill over. In another, titled First-Time Mum, a woman buying fruit by the roadside fails to notice her child wandering after a butterfly across the road.
The work was inspired by observing a first-time mother cat and the uncertainty that comes with a new responsibility.
Another painting depicts a man who has invited a woman over for dinner, only to realise mid-preparation that he has no salt in the house. Though trivial, the missing ingredient shows how small oversights can disrupt planned moments. The paintings are designed to trigger the familiar realisation that comes only after something has already gone wrong.
“By showing the outcome of certain actions, viewers can spot what could happen should they make the same mistake,” he says.
The exhibition statement describes humour as a social lubricant capable of easing communication and enriching interpersonal understanding. He views comedy as tied to criticism and observation, with every overlooked detail, awkward encounter, or failed precaution as material for reflection. His work encourages viewers to confront their own habits.
Okeyo observes his environment and paints pieces that are humorous for his audience to be more willing to receive. His inspirations come from everyday observation, dreams, imagination, and private thoughts.
“My cardinal rule in artwork is to use humour to enhance instruction and education. It promotes communication and makes learning memorable because when learning is fun, everybody benefits,” he says.
This interest in humour as a teaching device partly came from his research into comedy. While reading about why people find certain situations funny, he became interested in the logic behind humour and how familiarity causes audience reactions.
The moments are shared experiences that could happen to anyone, he says. Human existence, he adds, is an accumulation of happiness, sadness, embarrassment, and failure, which nobody is immune to. He believes people see their mistakes only after consequences have unfolded, and in that realisation, there can be growth.
“When we acknowledge that we are not always right and that we are victims of our own actions, something magical happens. We become vulnerable to the fact that we are all human and no one is special,” he says.
His paintings magnify ordinary moments through expressive colour and exaggerated gestures that direct viewers toward overlooked details. Though playful on the surface, the works have an undercurrent of caution and ask audiences to think about the habits and behaviours they take for granted.
His process is equally meticulous with every painting, starting with thumbnail sketches before expanding into detailed world-building drawings. He then creates sculptures to study proportion and realism before producing a final sketch that becomes the basis of the painting.
“I have a very thorough routine. The sculpture helps me ensure the proportions are believable before I paint,” he says.
While much of the exhibition leans into lowbrow aesthetics and comic-inspired imagery, he says he is experimenting with realism, particularly in his oil paintings. Some sections of the oil paintings are realistic, but not the entire artwork.
Okeyo describes the paintings as different sides of himself, which are the public self that is presented around others and the private in solitude and reflection. The exhibition, he says, offers a more personal search for artistic identity.
“I’m still trying not to box myself into one style. My private thoughts make my work unique. No one can create like I do because those thoughts are mine alone. It’s the things we are afraid to show that people resonate with,” he says.
Curator Santana Sino says the title Aftermath came from conversations about how to explore Okeyo’s interest in capturing what happens after mistakes and how people handle awkwardness or consequences. He says the exhibition presents views people may find difficult to openly discuss and makes the conversations approachable while still communicating effectively.
Other than arranging the exhibition according to a rigid curatorial structure, Sino allowed the placement of works to appear through his interactions with the paintings. Factors such as colour, scale, narrative flow, and tone informed the final presentation inside the gallery.
“The arrangement process is not something solid in my mind until I experience the pieces. The story and journey are influenced through conversations with the works and the artist,” he says.