Navigating Transitions Through Art: The Philosophy of Mikono Tisa

When you first encounter a piece of art from Mikono Tisa, my hope is that it gently nudges you inward, toward a moment of introspection. For me, Mikono Tisa—Swahili for "Nine Hands"—is more than a name. It’s a philosophy, a compass, and a way of engaging with the world’s constant state of change. I chose Swahili as a personal act of cultural reclamation, a way to connect with an African heritage I was never directly given.

In essence, Mikono Tisa is about using our hands—any means of creation and grasping—to navigate the transitions in life. The number nine is significant as a symbol of completion and transition, a step beyond an octave, representing a continual journey from one phase to the next. Generally, it’s a way of tapping into the rhythm and composition of life, then expressing that rhythm through layered color work, geometric structure, and recurring organic motifs that echo cycles in nature.

This idea influences my artwork deeply. Each piece is a visual dialogue about finding balance and recalibrating oneself. I like to think of it as offering a kind of map—not to a fixed destination, but to a mindset of continuous exploration.

Ultimately, if someone walks away from Mikono Tisa feeling a spark of introspection—a moment where they pause and reflect on their own identity and transitions—then I feel like the art has done its job. It’s about turning experience into something we can hold, examine, and ultimately understand a little better.

— Nathaniel