At Heltz House, Ngara Creative District, nine artists explore resonance, heritage, and ecological consciousness
Installation view, Martin Jakaila, It Resonates, Heltz House, N’gara, Nairobi 2025. Courtesy of 50 GOLBORNE X Freddie Odede. Copyright ©the Artist.
‘It Resonates’, presented by 50 GOLBORNE in collaboration with NBST, brings together nine artists from five African countries at Heltz House in Nairobi’s Ngara Creative District. The exhibition takes inspiration from German philosopher Hartmut Rosa’s concept of “resonance,” applying it to the pressing realities of climate change and environmental degradation.
Initially presented as a private presentation during the TED Global Countdown Summit in Nairobi, the project is now opening to the broader public, marking 50 GOLBORNE’s first step in cultivating a trans-African artistic platform in the city.
Though Africa contributes the least to global pollution, it is among the regions most affected by environmental crises. Rather than depicting environmental catastrophe directly, the participating artists focus on the evolving relationship between humanity and the earth—one rooted in reciprocity, spirituality, and memory. As Rosa writes, the actual environmental danger lies not simply in destruction, but in the loss of resonance between humans and their world.
The exhibition unfolds through multiple perspectives: from Sanaa Gateja’s reflections on cultural evolution, to Safaa Erruas’s delicate meditations on fragility and resilience, to Chemu Ng’ok’s psychologically charged canvases. Martin Jakaila, Joseph Ntensibe, Temandrota, Joseph Kamaru (KMRU), Emo de Medeiros, and Collin Sekajugo further expand the dialogue through practices spanning painting, sound, textiles, and mixed media. Together, their works weave a narrative of sustainability, heritage, and shared humanity.
As Ugandan artist Sanaa Gateja affirms, “Art is symbolic of a people, culture, and civilization evolving and coexisting within an environment constantly faced with climatic change.”
‘It Resonates’ demonstrates that art can reframe ecological discourse—not just as a story of crisis, but also as one of possibility, communion, and continuity.
‘It Resonates’ is on view at Heltz House, Ngara Creative District, Nairobi, from September 18 to October 4, 2025. For more information, please visit 50 GOLBORNE.
