Caught In Broad Daylight (2023)
Acrylic on Canvas | 152cm x 180cm
This painting came out of a series of sketches I made during a time I was trying to understand my anxiety more deeply. I was living and studying in Nairobi then, and painted this in my dorm room.
It shows a figure who feels trapped—caught mid-motion, like he's trying to reach something quietly, without being seen. But instead, a sudden beam of energy locks him in place, exposing him to the world. He’s stuck there, almost eternally, in that exact moment of wanting to move forward, yet paralysed by fear. That tension between wanting to hide and needing to be seen is what I was wrestling with.
This work reflects a very real fear I carry—the fear of being fully seen, fully expressed, and judged for it. Even though I know that fear has held me back, it’s still there. This painting tries to capture what it feels like to be exposed while trying to stay hidden. It’s about drowning in your mind, even in plain sight.