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Nashulai & Studio Verde: A Collaboration Rooted in Storytelling, Conservation, and Art

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In the heart of the Maasai Mara, Kenya, Nashulai Maasai Conservancy stands as a groundbreaking model of community-led conservation. Established in 2016, Nashulai is the first Maasai-owned and managed conservancy, where the people who have lived on this land for generations lead the regeneration of their ecosystem, culture, and livelihoods. Spanning 5,000 acres, the conservancy has restored critical wildlife corridors, established schools and cultural education programs, and created a conservation economy that benefits both people and nature. In 2020, Nashulai was awarded the UNDP Equator Prize, recognizing it as a pioneering force for sustainability, coexistence, and self-determined environmental stewardship.

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Yet, conservation is not only about the land; it is about the knowledge and traditions that sustain it. The Maasai’s rich oral traditions—songs, cosmologies, ecological knowledge, and histories—have been passed down for generations but face increasing threats from modernization and climate change. Recognizing the importance of preserving and celebrating this wisdom, Nashulai has collaborated with Studio Verde to explore new ways of documenting and sharing these stories through artistic collaboration.

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This Artist-in-Residence program encourages artists to think critically about their role in addressing environmental and social issues, challenging them to push artistic boundaries, explore new perspectives, and develop projects with lasting impact. Whether through photography, poetry, design, technology, or performance, each artist responds to the Maasai’s narratives, ecology, and ways of knowing—contributing to a growing archive of Indigenous knowledge and cultural expression.

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As Nashulai continues to strengthen its mission of community-led conservation and cultural preservation, the artists in residence play a key role in documenting, amplifying, and sharing these stories with the world.

This exhibition brings together works from artists who have immersed themselves in this collaboration—highlighting the interconnectedness of culture, ecology, and imagination. It is a celebration of resilience, co-creation, and the power of storytelling—not only to preserve the past but to shape the future.