'HEAVEN CAN WAIT TWO’ EXPLORES THE LOST CULTURAL VALUES AND INTEGRITY

‘Heaven Can Wait Two’ exhibition speaks a lot about moral struggle between what is seen as good and bad in society. It speaks a lot about what civilization has done to individual mind and morality thus blurring the lines on what can be perceived as right or wrong especially in pursuit for survival in hard economic times. In this exhibition, Michael Soi does what he knows best, throwing the debate to a judgmental society while he sits back and sips his beer. 

‘Seeing is believing’ captures my eye as I slowly move down the Circle Art Gallery in Nairobi to enjoy the just concluded ‘Heaven Can Wait Two’ Exhibition (21st January-25th February, 2026.) In the painting, a lady in lingerie stands on her hands, legs spread before a lascivious audience. Though we only see her back, she seems unfettered by her skimpy dress code and the greedy eyes admiring her otherwise bodacious body. The audience, giddy and carried away by the amorous show have their necks craned to either left or right, their eyes wide in a kind of ritualistic orgy in which they are all in unison with what is on stage. This, and many other paintings speak a lot about Michael Soi’s work. 

Michael Soi is not an erotic artist. He is a pragmatist whose work evokes the reality that is hidden and places it in the public for discussion. He is not afraid to expose what has been the practice in the Kenyan urban scene ever since the colonial era. His works, in bright colours often portray the adult world intoxicated by liqueur, drugs, social media and sex.  

Looking at Michael Soi’s work, one might see the work of an overgrown male with wild sexual desire, perhaps hedonistic satiated by his lewd paintings. However, hidden behind the paintings is a determined artist with a message to the masses. Born in 1972, Michael Soi grew through a period of Kenya’s progressive years with youth leadership and an enthusiastic public. Despite the enthusiasm, the country was coming to terms with the big independence lie. And within this lie, arose a very critical class of intellectuals who wanted to confront whatever was ailing their country. But they failed. And from the ashes of discontent, Michael formed most of his childhood memories. 

These memories, and what he has gathered over the years, form in the most part, what Soi puts on canvas. Pundits aver that the artist takes on a satirical voice to critic the social political, and economic realities of Nairobi life. That his work examines relationships, intergenerational, interracial and transactional in what Soi describes as the economics of love. Indeed, it is true to an extent, that, focusing on themes such as commercial sex work, popular culture, globalization and consumerism, Soi is set on the path to interrogate contemporary urban life.

In the Exhibition, ‘Heaven Can Wait,’ and most of his recent work, Soi is attempting to rebuild the simplicity of life. He is evoking humanities’ simple pleasures and the extent upon which they have been polluted. To redeem what is left of humanity and decency, the artist explores, the bad, whose architects are humans in order to spread disgust and perhaps create a discussion about modern African culture.

Soi’s work is also an allegory, it displays the hidden truth of humanity, that truth that we are not yet ready to confront because of the veil of decency we all wear in public. It is from this truth that the artist explores the social, political and economic realities of modern Kenya especially in urban areas.

‘Heaven Can Wait’ as stated, is about the simplicity of the pleasures of life and how these pleasures have been corrupted. In order to be happy, humans need space to grow and the ability to interact, connect and engage with others. However, with unhealthy competition, people become disenfranchised and resort into decadent ways. Similarly, with too much power, authorities and the wealthy become invincible to the laid down laws. What now remains is a society in chaos as described in George Orwel’s dystopic novel 1984. We are living in that society now.  

In this society, as it were, the lines between what is just and right have crossed with murk and selfish motives. Therefore, both leaders and their subjects have chosen temporary bliss in areas where they are sexually humiliated as long as they can brandish luxury lifestyles on social media. The hard economic times, broke men and increasing unemployment has steered many, especially women into immorality.   

Throughout the series, one notices the resignation of those in the modern day society. Those with huge dreams are slowly swallowed by tough economic times and unfulfilled promise until they become shadows of their dreams. Many are times they end up in dungeons of depravity to live the rest of their lives in tired resignation. And so the city moves on with its two worlds created by the greedy political class and clueless academics who are appointed to be the advisors of those in power. 

What is disturbing is that, even those who have had visions of change, once absorbed into the system, they change tune and the status quo is restored. Right from positions of power down to the hoi polloi- the corruption of individual is of the epic proportion. And thus those who have the mandate for steering growth have become bastions of stagnation, their individual greed has surpassed the greater good that the very act of self-growth is a selfish gain that is further driving the country into deeper murk. Sadly though, the very individuals who are driving the country into destruction profess belief in a governable country whose ideals and goals they purport to propagate and aspire to achieve. Yet, things on the ground are different. 

Thus ‘Heaven can Wait’ is a perfect metaphor of the state of affairs in a country like Kenya- a country equipped with resources and brilliant individuals but whose journey for growth has stagnated. It is this wait that has turned the restless Kenyan into either a wanderer to look for greener pastures or a disgruntled soul.

Deeper exploration of ‘Heaven Can Wait’ reveals a look into the past. Before colonialism and slavery, the African was at peace with their spirituality and moral responsibility. There were laws build to harmonize the community and discourage what was perceived as moral wrong. Indeed, there was moral corruption but those in authority and the elderly made sure that such were tamed from affecting the younger generation. Then came slavery and colonialism which eroded the entire good within the African moral culture and implanted selfish western ideals in which individuals are sacrificed for profit and morality. Quoting Friedrich Nietzsche, ‘morality is just a fiction used by a herd of inferior humans to hold back few superior men,’ the African moral values and to some extent, leadership values were replaced by those of the colonialists. This marked the beginning of the end. 

With colonialism gone, the remaining African still grapples to find footing in the current confusion. While attempting to understand the scanty western moral values, the African is conflicted and thus is forever in a state of epistemic ambivalence. Thus, the ‘heaven’ in this exhibition represent the lost African footing and the lack of wherewithal to restore African cultural values that would otherwise resolve all the existing confusion. 

Michael Soi is an artist based in Kenya whose work has been extensively exhibited for its evocative Nature. He studied Fine Art History at the Creative Arts Centre in Nairobi before joining Kuona Trust’s Musuem Studio in 1996. His art has been described as a visual diary of Nairobi. A recipient of Manjano Competition and Exhibition, Soi has bagged several awards including the constitutional Amendment Award (2000) and Top 40 Under 40 Award (Visual Arts Category.) He is currently based at the Godown Art Centre in Nairobi.