When Valary Mumbo started tagging along with her artist friend, Rosie Olang’, to art events and exhibitions, little did she know it would lead her down the rabbit hole of art collecting and eventually inspire her to co-found a club for young collectors.
I met her at Paper Café in Nairobi, where she and her co-chair, Michael Kainga, spoke about their journeys as art collectors.
Valary’s interest in collecting art began around 2018 when she started attending exhibitions with her friend Rosie.
When she first visited Kuona Arts Trust, she bought a sculpture simply because it looked cool. Today, her collection has grown to about 40 pieces, each added over time as her eye for art and confidence as a collector evolved.
“I like beautiful things. I only collect art that I think I’ll enjoy. I like colours. I like things that look very whimsical. If I see a piece and it makes me feel calm, I will take it. When I started, my aim wasn’t to build a collection because I bought a few pieces in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Then I went to graduate school, and I remember before leaving, I sold everything I owned except my art,” she says.
For Michael, his journey into art collecting was partly fuelled by his background in graphic design and his appreciation of visual culture.
“I always looked for art when I was in college because graphic design was very closely related to art,” he says. “But at the time, I didn’t know anything about collecting.”
A framed artwork, Growth, by artist Elizabeth Adung Deng is displayed at The Good Grain on Waiyaki Way in Nairobi on June 27, 2026.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
One day, he attended an art show and heard a speaker lament that much of Kenya’s artwork was being bought and exported, meaning the next generation might never see these important pieces. He began collecting art not just out of personal interest, but to help preserve a record and ensure some of the works remained in Kenya for future generations.
“I don’t view myself necessarily as a collector, but as a custodian of the work. I’m not trying to rescue and keep all the art in the country, but I want to do my own small part in making sure future generations have a reference point,” he says.
When he started building his collection, he realised that because of his love for large works, he would eventually run into a space constraint, prompting him to partner with a friend.
“We decided to build a joint collection because, at the time, it made sense. Also, I like large works, and large pieces require space, which comes at a cost, so why not share that cost?” he says.
“We have a contract; it’s just like starting a business. You might start a business with someone, and it might not work out.”
Within East Africa, there are particular artists whose work Valary admires, some of whose pieces are already in her collection and others she hopes to acquire over time.
“I do like Dennis Muraguri. I like Peterson Kamwathi, Boniface Maina, Gor Sudan and Jonathan Frazer. I collect pieces because they call to me, which means every day I see them, they make me happy. I don’t buy something because of hype and then wonder, ‘What the hell is this hanging on my wall?’ I collect based on a deep feeling,” she says.
Art collecting has long been viewed as an exclusive pursuit reserved for a select few because of the perceived costs involved. But for Valary, the price of a painting should never be the sole measure of its value.
“Whether it’s Sh3,000 or Sh500,000, as long as you look at the work and find it compelling, if the technique is there, you can see there’s promise in the artist, and you believe in what they do, then it holds value. The idea that only expensive pieces are the best, or that art is generally expensive, is a misconception,” she says.
The idea of forming the collectors’ club emerged from discussions with gallery owners about how to encourage more young people to collect art. The idea was born last November.
A framed mixed-media artwork, Skin Deep No. 1, by artist Elizabeth Adung Deng is displayed at The Good Grain in Nairobi on June 27, 2026.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
Valary drew inspiration from collectors’ clubs in the United States, where members come together for studio visits, attend exhibitions and art fairs, and travel to experience art. The collectors’ club was launched in April this year with 30 young collectors.
“The purpose of the club is to show people that art is affordable, accessible and an investable asset. We also want to put more money into the pockets of visual artists from Kenya,” she says.
“From a business point of view, it’s also important to keep bringing in new collectors. If older collectors slow down or stop, a new generation has to be ready to step in. There’s a certain confidence that comes with buying art, and it has to be built over time. It grows through conversations, exposure and the exchange of ideas, which gradually make people more comfortable spending more on art. Kenyans have money; what many lack is the confidence to spend it on high-value artworks. That confidence has to be nurtured.”
Art remains one of the leading luxury assets among the wealthy. The 2025 Knight Frank Wealth Report shows that 72 percent of ultra-wealthy individuals are keen on acquiring art, underscoring the need to insure valuable collections.
“I’m currently working on insuring my art because it is valuable. I’ve been talking to galleries like Circle Art to find out who insures their work. That’s one reason we formed the club—to figure out these things collectively and make the journey easier for the collectors who come after us,” she says.
