Shine Tani and the Spirit Behind Banana Hill Art Gallery

“We Preserve the Artist First”

Tucked just outside the perimeters of Nairobi County, along the road that leads to the infamous Great Rift Valley, the lush tea estates and the open savannah of the Maasai Mara, there lies a space where art gathers these landscapes, histories and dreams, carrying them far beyond the city’s borders.

This is not simply an art gallery. It is a philosophy. A community.

This is Banana Hill Art Gallery. And at its centre is its defining conviction: that preserving African art begins by preserving the African artist.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Shine Tani, the co-founder and director of Banana Hill Art Gallery, to learn more about the gallery’s roots, its philosophy, and its evolving role in shaping the contemporary African art scene.

A Different Beginning

Banana Hill Art Gallery didn’t begin as a gallery. It began as a vision to build community among artists. In the 1980s, long before walls of the galleries were built, before art was taken seriously in Kenya, before artists could rely on galleries or collectors, all the artists had was each other.

In the early days, there was little to no support for artists. This led to them seeking community, and Shine Tani was one artist that several turned to. Together, they formed a group of 12 artists who came together out of necessity and support of their artistic pursuit. The gallery began as a simple studio, a space for collaboration and creativity.

By 1992, the group had already begun to grow, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Banana Hill Art Gallery. Tani mentioned a conversation with the late renowned philosopher and writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, who encouraged them to formalise their collective and engage the government as a unit. In 1994 the studio was registered and running, and in 2005 the studio transformed into the gallery we know today.

Later, as the original space began to falter, Shine Tani took the reins. He envisioned something larger than a studio and an exhibition space. Shine Tani envisioned Banana Hill Art Gallery as more than just a home for Kenyan artists. He opened its doors to creatives from across East Africa, expanding its reach and furthering his goal of building a space for contemporary African artistic expression.

The Philosophy of Care

When I sat with Shine, one thing was clear: his philosophy is rooted in care, not just for the art, but for the person behind it.

“We care for the artists. That’s how we preserve the art.”

You cannot expect a factory to produce anything with a broken machine.”

That metaphor struck me. From what I have seen, the world often romanticises artists, yet they are often ignored by the harsh reality that they are often underserved by the system, and struggle to sustain themselves through their work. Shine’s approach radically solves this issue: Care for the creator. Only then will art have life, value, and a true legacy.

Over the years, Banana Hill has offered artists accommodation, meals, materials, mentorship, and community. From its earliest days, it has functioned more like a creative family than an institution.

Even now, Shine speaks with concern about older artists who struggle to sell their work or support themselves. He notes that the gallery ensures that part of the earnings from commissions — usually 40% — are used not only to keep the gallery running, but also to support artists who don’t make sales.

I learned that this is a quiet ecosystem of generosity built for continuity and community in the arts.

A Home for East Africa, and Beyond

Though born in Kenya, Banana Hill has always had a regional vision. By chance, the day I visited the gallery, the exhibition on display was showing works by Ugandan artist Kintu Paul. Inspired by his vision to reimagine the space as a true African art centre, Shine Tani made a conscious decision in 2010 to expand beyond Kenya and even East Africa. This openness to African galleries speaks to the transformative, pan-African strength that the founder clearly evokes in his diligence to art and African culture. Moreover, Shine makes a point to talk to the artists in order to understand their work and curate exhibitions attuned to the messaging and the story they wish to tell.

Shifting Sands: From Tourists to Trust

For a long time, the Kenyan art market has been strictly reliant on foreign buyers. The tourists came with their curiosity for African art, and their wallets too. What about the local population? Well, many feel it is disinterested, dubious. It wasn’t promising of a bright and successful future. Many parents would rather their children become matatu conductors than artists. “My own father preferred I take care of his cattle rather than become an artist.” Shine mentioned.

But there has been a shift. There is now greater local interest in art, and more confidence in art as a career option and path.

“Today, 60% of our clients are local. And that’s a big change. A good change.”

Kenyans are now buying art for their homes, offices, and businesses. Developers and banks are incorporating art into new buildings. The market is growing. Slowly and gradually, the perception is changing.

This shift, Shine believes, is vital for the future. Because when locals invest in local art, they are investing in their own identity. And in doing so, they’re breaking the colonial patterns that taught us to trust and rely on foreigners more than ourselves.

A Gallery Grown from the Soil

Banana Hill is now 33 years old. Shine Tani has watched it grow, falter, and grow again. He has opened his doors to several artists, hosted exhibitions monthly and now quarterly, and kept the lights on when many would have shut them off.

More than a gallery, Banana Hill is a mirror of what is possible when art is curated with care.

Having had this interview, there is a lot of praise that should be directed towards Shine and Rahab Tani for sticking to the promise of the person behind the art. Several institutions and systems value profit and praise over the artist, not at Banana Hill Art Gallery. The artist comes first. Always. It isn’t easy at all; it is more difficult to operate that way. But it matters and it is needed, and for that it should be appreciated.  

He ends our conversation with quiet hope.

“It’s going to happen. It’s already happening. We’re seeing it. The world is looking at African art. But we must look at it, too.”

And with that, he returns to his gallery to care, to curate, to preserve.

Not just the art.

But the artist.

By Akinyi Okero for AMITIA AFRICA