A vernacular poem written in Kikuyu is set to be sold for a minimum price of Ksh1 Million.
The unique piece titled: Mathabu ma Carey Francis (The Mathematics of Carey Francis) was penned by Kenyan writer Alexander Nderitu and is set for auction.
The poem is in the form of a message from a young man in gicagi (the boondocks) to his better-educated girlfriend in Nairobi City.
It was written in Nyeri County, located at the foot of Mt. Kenya (Africa’s second-tallest mountain) which is sacred to the Agikũyũ people.
It mentions Gikũyũ and Mũmbi, the revered founders of the community, some orally-transmitted sayings, and references a traditional rhyme about a child’s encounter with a frog.
What's outstanding with the unique one-off art piece is that the background design on which the poem will appear is the poet’s actual DNA sequence.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Nderitu stated he endeavoured to make his art special by writing in a vernacular language and also exploring DNA Art
The award-winning writer who describes the 46 cm x 61 cm, oil-on-canvas DNA artwork as the ultimate autograph added; "It was an easy process. I sent a swab of my saliva to the company that makes DNA art in the US."
He further disclosed that the auction would take place in December where people could place their bids privately or publicly.
"Bids may be made in private or public. Coffee at a four-star Nyeri hotel with the artist is also an option for the winning bidder," reads a statement from the writer.
After the first poem, Nderitu stated that he got a number of responses calling for a female perspective of the poem.
"I'm actually working on the second poem in vernacular titled: Expatriates of Karen.
"The collection in vernacular will take several years to complete and will be titled, ‘Mathabu ma Carey Francis, Na Marebeta Mangĩ’ (The Mathematics of Carey Francis, and Other Poems)," he stated.
DNA Art is a fairly new phenomenon but is steadily gaining in popularity, especially in interior decoration.
According to DNA 11, a leading US-based company in the field, "DNA Portraits are the world’s most unique and personalized form of art.
"The tough part is choosing the style, colour, size and frame from an almost limitless range of possibilities. Your personal DNA picture print will be as unique as you are. No two prints will ever be alike."
The latest body of work is another feather to Nderitu's pacesetting hat in the publishing field having produced Africa's first digital novel When the Whirlwind Passes in 2001.
In 2017, Business Daily newspaper listed him amongst Kenya's 'Top 40 Under 40 Men'.
