An auction of art pieces has failed to take off after a gallery was given one week to settle a Sh1.6 million debt.
Art pieces at Gallery Watatu in Nairobi were
scheduled to be auctioned to recover rent arrears owed to N.W. Realite
Ltd, the agents contracted to collect rent on behalf of the Kenya
Commercial Bank Pension Scheme. (READ: Gallery art to be auctioned over rent debt)
Mr Joseph Mungai Gikonyo, an auctioneer with Garam
Investment, told the Nation that Gallery Watatu operators had agreed to
clear the debt before June 14.
Artists, who claimed their artworks were in the gallery, urged the Heritage ministry to intervene.
“We are concerned that the art pieces have been
arbitrarily bundled into batches and prices set at very low and
unrealistic rates,” read a statement signed by the 10 artists.
The gallery operators estimated the value of the
property attached at Sh200 million. Among the art pieces listed for
auction were wall paintings, wooden shelves, stone carvings and glass
frames.
“It is sad that few people attend exhibitions to
buy our works yet when they are sold at ridiculously low prices,
especially at auctions, everyone wants a share of our work,” Mr Sane
Wadu said.
Gallery Watatu was established in 1968 by three friends.
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