Watch original feature on CNN Style: Why ‘outstanding’ and ‘affordable’ African art is so hot right now
The champagne flows, the bidders haggle and the unmistakable crack of the gavel sounds.
The scene could easily be set at the dapper auction houses of London or New York. But this is the Circle Art auction in Nairobi, Kenya – East Africa’s only contemporary art auction.
While hitting the million mark in Kenyan shillings might not be as significant as pounds or dollars, the thrill for local artists and buyers is just as exhilarating.
“There is a lot of money around and people want to buy nice things, says veteran auctioneer Dendy Easton.