WhoWhatWhere was born from a series of conversations that writer and art journalist Franscine Machinda had with the people around them—mostly artists—in early 2023. The idea first took shape during an exhibition by one of their favorite painters. For two hours, they discussed Kenyan and East African art, its documentation (or lack thereof), and the preservation of Kenyan culture. When Franscine mentioned they were a writer, the painter asked if they had ever written about art. Their answer—no—was met with a firm suggestion: Start.
Having grown up around art and being an artist themself, Franscine had always been drawn to self-expression in all its forms—from color, to sound, to movement. But beyond the final product, they were captivated by the process: the human stories behind specific chords and the last brushstroke. Some stories were profound; others weren’t. Still, these stories reminded them that each piece of art was a product of hard work and labor, a conscious effort to bring something to life.
A month later, another conversation deepened this idea—this time, in a different gallery, under the influence of both alcohol and inspiration. Franscine and two close friends, Debbie & Sinatra, all avid supporters of local art, had made it a habit to attend as many exhibitions, shows, and workshops as possible. People would often ask them how they found out about these events. Surrounded by incredible artists whose work deserved to be seen and an eager audience searching for those very artists, they recognized a gap.
And then came the sentence that set everything in motion:
"I’ve been thinking of starting an art and culture magazine."
Franscine Machinda
Founder, Editor in Chief
Franscine is a writer, editor, and painter from Nairobi, Kenya whose literary work spans personal and cultural criticism essays, short stories, and journalistic work focusing on the arts.
- Curatorspectra
- Founder & Curatorfriends of the artist
- Creative DirectorLuku.Store
- CuratorLuku.Radio
Describing themself as "nothing if not an exhausting mess of contradictions", they are intrigued by the human condition and creatively driven by a profound curiosity of the things that crawl under people's skins.
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