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The open expressions of young artists
Kampala, Uganda | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | An exhibition of student’s art is bound to be interesting. Occasionally, some students defy their inexperience and produce great art. Usually, however, gaps in art creation and presentation become perfect talking points for gallery visitors and possible dampeners for the students. Only the most open-minded artists benefit from the inevitable censure. In any case, it is the overall the passion and spirit of adventure that underlies most of the artwork that should be the focus.
Such is the mood at the `Open Expression’ exhibit at the Mukono- based Tadooba gallery by students of art from Kyambogo University in Kampala. When we visited March 03, the students had put up pieces that adhered to classroom discipline in art making that emphasises aspects like light, tonality, perspective and texture. Nonetheless, the open expression theme was aggressively explored in diverse media, multi-disciplinary creations, and adventures in myriad styles.
The employment of diverse styles and media on canvas was a relief from the monotony of a single artistic narrative and inquiry. Themes ranged from cityscapes, wildlife, portraiture, and rural scenery.
A conceptual drawing (Untitled) that integrated both synthetic and organic media in form of used airtime cards, washing sponge (ekyangwe) and aluminum wires was outstanding in innovation. From the close observation of the artwork, the artist exuded confidence in the employment of the media, and immediate response to the common-placed question of how to make art when you are limited by material. Where artists often times complain about and are inhibited by how materials are expensive, this artist defied such limitation by sourcing for local or waste material to work with.
On the technical front, the young artists sometimes lacked the competence in picture construction and a void in colour application on canvas. In this regard, some of the artwork came off as mediocre and less exciting to a critical eye. A painting of the Old Taxi-park in Kampala (Untitled) was awkwardly done with little or no attention to detail. The Matatus were not familiar even to those in the park; they were “too clean” and not bartered by the rough nature of the square. Similarly, an attempt to draw three human figures at work, ended in disarray. The bodies of the figures were not proportional. The hands stood out larger and longer than other body parts rendering the subject almost disfigured. With such disparity, the piece depicting a clay figurine resting on a pedestal provided some relief to the audience. The artist made an effort to study his subject a male figure seated on a stool in an inclined posture -with the right attention to depth and form.
The Open Expression exhibition provided, perhaps a first time platform for the student artists to showcase their learned skills in art making. Much as many of the exhibitors lacked enough technical skills on canvas, the opportunity to exhibit exposed them to criticism from the audience to better their craft. Nonetheless, it is only the open minded artists that will benefit from such censure.
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The exhibition, featuring mainly second and third year art students, is at Tadooba Gallery located after MukonoTown, in Nangwa Butwalo village.
