Where discarded fabric becomes art

At first glance, the portrait appears to be a painting. Rich textures, vibrant colors, and intricate details draw the viewer in. But look closer, and a different story begins to emerge.

The artwork is not painted. It is crafted from discarded fabric.

For Nairobi-based artist Cyprian Kiswili, every scrap of cloth carries untapped potential. What others see as waste, he transforms into powerful visual narratives that celebrate people, places, and African identity.

"My art is mixed media," Kiswili said during an interview. "It's mostly a combination of two or three different types of media. I explore recycled fabrics and newsprints to bring out different subjects."

Known professionally as Kharsh, Kiswili has built a distinctive artistic practice around sustainability and storytelling. His portraits and illustrations are assembled from materials sourced from local tailoring shops, workshops, and factories across Kenya's capital, Nairobi. 

The discarded fabrics are carefully collected, sorted, washed and selected before finding their place in his compositions.

Through his unique mixed-media approach, he combines vibrant African patterns, urban influences, and storytelling to create visually compelling pieces that celebrate culture, identity, and everyday life.

"I know some factories where I can collect fabric waste," he explains. "I wash them, dry them, and then select pieces depending on what I'm creating. I combine them with paint to tell the story I want."

His inspiration often comes from everyday life.

"I get a lot of inspiration around people. That's why you'll find many of my artworks are portraits or inspired by people and places," he said. 

Long before the glamor of galleries and exhibitions, Kiswili's artistic journey began in solitude.

As an only child, he spent much of his free time drawing and sketching. What started as a pastime gradually revealed itself as a talent.

"I realized I was actually getting good at it," he recalls. "When I was in primary school, I decided that was what I wanted to pursue fully."

That decision eventually led him to study design at the University of Nairobi, where he earned both a Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Design.

Yet choosing art as a career path was not without challenges. Like many young creatives in Kenya, Kiswili faced societal pressure to pursue more conventional professions.

A turning point came during his university years when he entered a sneaker design competition.

"We went all the way to the finals in Prague, and I ended up being the overall winner," he said..

The victory in the 2019 Bata Young Designers Challenge provided more than just international recognition. It validated his belief that a career in creativity was possible.

"It felt like there was something there that I could really push."

Today, art is no longer a side project. It is Kiswili's full-time profession. His journey mirrors a growing shift among young African creatives who are increasingly choosing to invest fully in their craft.

"There has been a shift," he observes. "I've seen friends and fellow artists leave very good jobs to focus on their art. It's beautiful because once you're truly passionate about something, eventually something gives."

That dedication has earned him recognition both locally and internationally. In addition to the Bata Young Designers Challenge, he won the Artcaffé Art of the City competition in 2022 and the Dell Sleeve Design Challenge in 2023.

His work has been exhibited in leading cultural spaces and is held in private collections, attracting a growing community of collectors around the world.

Storytelling beyond the canvas

Despite the accolades, Kiswili remains focused on one thing: storytelling.

His latest projects include illustrations for East Africa's first coffee museum, where he uses art to trace coffee's journey across continents and centuries.

"There'll be illustrations set in different periods showing how coffee was discovered and how it spread around the world," he explains. "It's storytelling through illustrations."

Whether working with fabric, paint, or paper, the goal remains the same; to preserve stories and connect audiences to history, culture, and identity.

For Kiswili, success is not measured solely by awards or exhibitions. His vision extends beyond personal achievement. He hopes his work will continue to reach wider audiences while inspiring the next generation of creatives.

"I hope my art connects with more people on a larger scale than it has before. And I also hope to mentor a lot of young artists," he said. 

In a world grappling with waste and overconsumption, Cyprian Kiswili's work offers a different perspective. Through imagination, patience, and purpose, discarded fabric becomes art, waste becomes storytelling, and forgotten materials find a second life.

For Kiswili, every piece of cloth is more than a leftover scrap.

It is the beginning of a story waiting to be told.