Oil on canvas, 42 cm x 60cm
In the context of overlapping global crises; political fragmentation, widening inequality and institutional distrust; the work reflects on how authority can become performative, dehumanized and disconnected from moral accountability. The missing head signifies the suspension of critical thought, while the absent heart points to the erosion of empathy within systems designed to protect citizens. Violence is shown not as an individual act, but as a collective mechanism, normalized through uniforms, hierarchy and obedience.
The dragged body represents the vulnerable individual caught within these systems, stripped not only of dignity but of agency. By exaggerating form and distorting anatomy, the painting exposes power as unstable rather than absolute, revealing how dominance often relies on spectacle and intimidation rather than legitimacy. The feminized elements challenge the myth of invincibility embedded in militarized masculinity, suggesting that authority built on force alone is inherently fragile.
Benard Munyange. Kigeugeu II. 2025. Mixed media on canvas. 75 cm x 90cm
Kigeugeu is a Swahili word for ‘always changing’. It’s a realistic painting I did using acrylics, oil paint and oil pastel. It consists of a chameleon navigating a single branch and a dark red background.
The world is changing; and everything with it. The chameleon, a creature renowned for adaptation and sensitivity to its environment, becomes a metaphor for humanity’s struggle to survive amid ecological collapse, political instability, social inequality and cultural fragmentation. Perched in a moment of suspension, it suggests both vulnerability and resilience; qualities increasingly necessary in a world defined by uncertainty.
The branch represents the fragile systems that sustain life: ecosystems, economies, identities and communities. Though it appears solid, it is weathered and precarious, echoing how climate change, resource scarcity and social disruption strain the structures we rely on. The chameleon’s careful posture implies alertness and caution, mirroring how individuals and societies are forced to constantly adjust their positions in response to rapidly shifting realities.
Benard Munyange is a Kenyan based visual artist and Fine Art student at Kenyatta University. "My five senses inspire my work. What I see, hear, feel or think about is the picture I paint."
Munyange's artistic focus primarily centers on the human skin, though he occasionally explores other textural subjects around him. Texture is his work described in one word; he wants viewers to feel the material almost like they could touch the emotion. His fascination with art began at the age of six after a human figure drawing amused the whole class. The assignment was to draw and label the parts of the body as was on the textbook. It turned out fine that everyone said there was no way he did it.