Born in 1979 in Nairobi and based in Paris, Evans Mbugua explores the place of the individual within society through luminous, colorful works that celebrate joy and memory. His paintings, sculptures, and installations create a dialogue between History and everyday life.
A graduate in graphic design from the École Supérieure d’Art et de Design des Pyrénées (2005), Evans first worked as an art director in Toulouse before devoting himself fully to art in Paris in 2012. His debut exhibitions began in 2015, followed by solo shows in Paris (2016) and London (2017).
Since then, his work has gained international recognition, presented at major events including the Venice Biennale – off (2022), the Dakar Biennale – off (2022), and the Asian Art Biennale in Bangladesh (2022). Residencies in Morocco, Angola, France, and Burkina Faso have expanded his practice across mediums such as lithography, bronze, and textile dyeing.
Evans frequently collaborates across disciplines — with fashion designer Xuly Bët, choreographers Wanjiru Kamuyu and Smaïl Kanouté, filmmaker Alain Gomis, writer Olivier Roger, Maison Chaumet, singer Oumou Sangaré, and Infiniment Coty.
His works feature in major public and private collections, including the BnF (France), Art in Embassies (USA), the Agnès b. Collection (France), Maison Chaumet (France), and the Fondation Gandur pour l’Art (Switzerland).
Exhibitions 2025
RECONSTRUCTED
19 — 23 November
Abu Dhabi Art Fair
Galerie La La Lande – Paris, France.
SOLO / DUO EXHIBITIONS (selection)
2025
RECONSTRUCTED IDENTITIES: Galerie La La Lande – France.
2022
POINTS DE DEPART (Biennale de Dakar Off): Galerie Arte – Senegal.
2021
FLOWER POWER: Galeria OOA – Spain.
2020
TU M’ES INDISPENSABLE: Galerie Regard Sud – France.
FREEDOM IS MINE !: Galeria OOA – Spain.
2019
A SPECTACULAR NOW: Circle Art Gallery – Kenya.
2018
PORTRAIT TIRÉ: Galerie Emmanuelle Rousse – France.
TRESORS D’AFRIQUE: Maison Chaumet – France.
2017
DIALOGUE: Gallery of African Art (GAFRA) – UK.
HIGHLIFE: Galerie Art-Z – France.
2016
STYLE FUSION: Gallery of African Art – UK.
EVANS MBUGUA: Art-Z – France.GROUP EXHIBITIONS (selection)
2025
RECONSTRUCTED: Cape Town art fair / Galerie La La Lande – France.
2024
LESSONS IN SELFHOOD: ArtMadrid Art fair / Galeria OOA – Spain.
2023
WE ARE ENOUGH: 193 Gallery - France.
2022
19th ASIAN ART BIENNALE: National Art Gallery of Bangladesh.
FLOWER POWER: Galeria OOA (Spain) / SCOPE Art Show (Miami) USA.
2021
PRESENT TENSE: Loft Art Gallery (Morocco) / 1-54 Art fair (London) UK.
FLOWER POWER: Galeria OOA (Spain) / ArtxLagos – Nigeria.
DES PORTRAITS ET DES HOMMES: Festival Rio Loco Toulouse – France.
2020
METAMORPHOSES: Galerie Emmanuelle Rousse – France.
ASPIRING: ArtCo Gallery – Germany.
2019
BODY TALK: 1-54 Art Fair / London: Loft Art Gallery (Morocco) – UK.
BEIRUT ART FAIR: Galeria OOA (Spain) – Lebanon.
NAIROBI, HERE WE ART !: Galeria OOA – Spain.
CAPE TOWN ART FAIR: ArtCo Gallery – South Africa.
2018
BACK TO THE FUTURE: GAFRA Gallery – 1-54 Art fair UK.
FNB JOBURG ART FAIR 2018: ArtCo Gallery – South Africa.
BODY TALK: ArtCo Gallery – ART PARIS FAIR France.
2017
EXODE: Galerie Emmanuelle Rousse – France.
MY COLLECTION: MoCADA museum – USA.
THE ARTBALL 2017: Amref Health Africa – USA.
2016
CARTES ET IDENTITÉS: Galerie Art-Z – France.
2015
AFRIQUES À VENIR: Galerie ko21 – France.PERFORMANCE
2023
NOUS CRÉONS L’HISTOIRE: BISO Biennale, Burkina Faso.
2018
BODY TALK (Smail Kanouté & Wanjiru Kamuyu): Art Paris artfair - France.
2016
ETAT D’URGENCE: Galerie de la Voûte – France.
RESIDENCIES
2023
LE FEU DES ORIGINES: BISO Biennale, Burkina Faso.
2020
PRINTMAKING: Atelier Le Grand Village – France.
2019
TRANSLATION [DES PAS ET DES MOTS]: Espaço Luanda Arte – Angola.
2018
PORTRAIT TIRÉ: Galerie Emmanuelle Rousse – France.
2016
2ÉME ART’RIMAL: Galerie d’Art d’Oujda – Morocco.
EDUCATION
2005
École supérieure d’art et de design des Pyrénées: BA Graphic Design.
PRESS (selection)
RFI – L’artiste Evans Mbugua, ou l’Afrique émotionnelle…
REUTERS – Dancers portraits come alive at Paris Art Fair
WHITEWALL – Chaumet Collaborates with Kenyan artist Evans Mbugua