Between the Bars is the first solo exhibition by multidisciplinary artist and musician Ndung’u Mbithi ( @ndungumbithi ). Through weaving, painting, installation, and object-based assemblage, the exhibition meditates on the themes of alcoholism, mental health, shame, survival, and healing.

The exhibition’s title refers to both personal history and cultural references: “Chairkicker” is the artist’s visual alter ego—born from past experiences with suicidality—while “Between the Bars” alludes to Elliott Smith’s song of the same name, often regarded as an intimate portrait of addiction and emotional vulnerability. The artworks are constructed using found and repurposed materials such as sisal, wood, paper, and domestic remnants. These materials, often fragile or forgotten, echo the precarity and persistence of those navigating recovery and relapse.

At its core, Between the Bars is a spatial confession—transforming pain into presence, memory into monument. It invites the viewer into a world where support systems are makeshift, stories are threaded into objects, and healing is a quiet act of resistance.