10/10/2025
SCULPTING TIMELESS NARRATIVES:
The Art of Naftal Mageto Momanyi Written from a conversation with the artist.
When I sat down with Naftal Mageto Momanyi in his sun-dappled Nairobi workshop,the first thing that struck me wasn’t the towering granite blocks waiting to betransformed. It was his quiet, deliberate manner, the way he paused before answering each question, as if consulting something older and deeper than mere memory.
For over four decades, Naftal has worked in the timeless languages of soapstone, Granite and Basalt stones, as well as hardwood, chiseling narratives that reach beyond our fleeting modern anxieties. In his hands, stone becomes not just form but memory, a preservation of East Africa’s stories,cultures,and spiritual pulse. Naftal’s work stands at a vital intersection where art transcends deco-ration.“When people collect East African art,” he told me, leaning forward slightly, “they’re notjust buying an object for their walls or gardens.They’re inviting history, Philosophy,spirituality, sometimes even ancestral whispers, into their lives. ”
East African art is a vibrant spectrum that stretches from intricate Maasai beadwork to evocative masks of the Chagga and the bold, colorful paintings inspired by the Swahili coast. Sculptures like Naftal’s are especially powerful, embodying communal identity and spiritual symbolism in forms that feel as ancient as the hills that yield his chosen stones.His belief aligns with sentiments echoed by artists like El Anatsui of Ghana, who has said that African art is fundamentally about “the possibility of narratives being embedded into material. ”While El Anatsui explores this through bottle caps woven into vast tapestries, Naftal does it through the elemental permanence of rock.
As our conversation deepened, Naftal’s eyes lit up when discussing his favored mediums.“I settled in working with granite and basalt stones because these are not just stones, they are witnesses.
They’ve survived millions of years of sun, rain, wind. When I carve into them, I’m not just making art. I’m continuing a geological story that started before humans walked here. ”This perspective on materiality places him in philosophical kinship with great stone sculptors like Zimbabwe’s Dominic Benhura and Nicholas Mukomberanwa, who brought international acclaim to Shona sculpture. Like them, Naftal sees stone as inherently tied to identity and memory, not merely a substrate but a collaborator in story telling.Yet unlike some Shona artists who often favor the softer serpentine for its ease underhand tools, Naftal purposefully chooses hard stones (granite and basalt). These are notoriously weather resistant hard stones, challenging even for seasoned sculptors. “That’s precisely why I use them" he says with a slight smile. “If we’re documenting human history, shouldn’t we use something that can last as long as that history?”
There’s a broader context to Naftal’s practice that makes his commitment especially significant today. As global collectors increasingly turn their attention to African art, not just as cultural artifacts but as investments, questions of authenticity, provenance, and longevity have become more pressing.
In recent years, auction houses like Sotheby’s and Bonhams have seen record sales of African works, while modern institutions in Paris, London, and New York race to re-center African narratives within global art history. Amid this, the meticulous work of Artists like Naftal provides a deeply grounded, culturally-rooted counterpoint to fleeting art market trends.His sculptures, each accompanied by documented provenance and often infused with personal stories, speak powerfully to a generation of collectors seeking not only aesthetic pleasure but also ethical, meaningful connections. This mirrors trends visible in the success of contemporary African sculptors like Wangechi Mutu, who, although working in mixed media, similarly weaves the mythical with the visceral to explore identity and memory.
When I asked Naftal if he thinks about how his pieces might be viewed centuries from now, he paused for several heart beats.“It’s humbling” he finally said “Imagine someone generations ahead running their hand over this same stone, feeling the same grooves. Perhaps wondering who we were,what we valued. This is why I sculpt, to leave behind questions and stories that time alone can’t erase”.
In this, his philosophy aligns remarkably with artists like Constantin Brâncuși or Isamu Noguchi, whose minimalist forms often sought to transcend specific eras, speaking instead to eternal human conditions. Like them, Naftal sees art as both a mirror and a bridge, reflecting our inner worlds while spanning across ages. With global interest in African art climbing to unprecedented heights, East Africa stands on the cusp of a renaissance. International fairs, local exhibitions, and online platforms are opening new avenues for collectors and artists alike. For Naftal, this isn't merely a market opportunity but a cultural imperative.“We’re at a point where our stories matter more than ever,” he says. “There’s a hunger out there for genuine narratives, not stereotypes, not diluted versions of Africa, but the real, layered, beautiful complexities of who we are. ”
His hope is that as this new chapter unfolds, it does so with respect for authenticity and cultural agency. In this way, his Granite and basalt stone sculptures are more than art investments or décor statements; they are enduring ambassadors of East African's heritage.
As our interview wrapped up, Naftal walked me over to a newly completed piece, an abstract human form emerging from dark basalt, its surface alive with subtle tool marks that caught the afternoon sun. “It’s still breathing, ” he said softly “Still telling stories". Maybe one day, it will whisper to someone else entirely.
For those drawn to owning such narratives, to placing a piece of East Africa’s soul within their homes or institutions, Naftal welcomes inquiries. Whether commissioning a work that marks a personal milestone or selecting from his existing creations, collectors become part of a continuum that stretches from ancient geological time to a yet-unwritten future. In the end, what sets Naftal Mageto Momanyi apart is not simply his technical mastery of one of the most challenging sculptural mediums on earth. It’s his unwavering dedication to embedding timeless human and cultural stories within these ancient stones, ensuring they will stand, quite literally, the test of time.
Hard stone Sculptures for Gardening installations. Durability of Granite and Basalt stone sculptures is eternity irrespective on whether in outdoor or indoor installation.
Timeless Narratives in sculpture.
PEOPLE DAILY NEWSPAPER 2019
Nairobi Kenya
