A show opened recently at the Afriart Gallery in Kamwokya, Kampala, is the latest effort in tapping into young talent and bringing diversity into art spaces. Titled `Unseen’, it showcases works by artists Mulondo Patrick, Lukwago Saad, Reagan Kandole, Ocon Adonias, Denis Mubiru, Arim Andrew, Cannon Griffin (Rumanzi), Nabukenya Hellen …
Read More »Eco-art novelty
Turning landscapes into canvas Bruno Ruganzu started out as a struggling artist about 10 years ago. His goal was to etch a mark on the patronage in order to survive. Starting out by painting on canvas, he made art that had marks of his ambition. But his turning point came …
Read More »Inspiration from a master
Fabian Mpagi’s legacy lives on through Waddimba Whether he recognized it as such or not, when President Yoweri Museveni officiated at an exhibition of contemporary Ugandan art in Vienna, Austria in 1992, he launched the re-entry of the nation onto the global art market.The two Ugandan artists exhibiting were Geoffrey …
Read More »Ubuntu portraiture
Could this artist bring his `hardcore of art’ to an exhibition soon? Henk Jonker, a Dutch artist, musician, and poet who lives in Kampala, believes there has been a major shift in the way people perceive each other all over the world, writes Dominic Muwanguzi. “It is no longer important …
Read More »Art of Propaganda
By Nathan Kiwere Following the social and political mayhem that was engendered by the botched 2007 general elections in neighbouring Kenya, politicians and the public went into an unprecedented frenzy, outshouting each other to prove culpability in what turned out to be a national festival of hooliganism. As they say, …
Read More »Treasures from the earth
Former Mexican writer, diplomat and poet, Octavio Paz once famously remarked that, “What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and peculiarities, by eliminating different civilisations and cultures, progress weakens life and favours death.” ART …
Read More »Jewels of the Jungle
By Nathan Kiwere When 19th century French Romanticism painter, Jean-Louis Andre Theodore Gericault and his ilk rebelled against Neo-Classical art in Europe, they were driven by the belief in the exaltation of the senses and emotions over reason and intellect. To this end, they were able to martial a small …
Read More »Art of rebellion
One painting depicts the recent controversial stripping by Makerere University don Stella Nyanzi, in protest against alleged unfair treatment by her supervisor. By Dominic Muwanguzi African identity, pride and beauty, and the politics around them are the subject of Samson Ssenkaaba aka Xenson’s exhibition at Afriart Gallery in Kampala. Dubbed …
Read More »Unsweet voices: A chaotic symphony erupts as Ugandans find voice
By Nathan Kiwere Going by the sheer number of artists, the Ugandan music industry appears to overflowwith talent. It is a contrast to a few years ago when the local scene was awash with ‘imported’ music. Congolese Lingala maestros monopolized the few radio stations and patronised Ugandan revelers with their …
Read More »City of art: The spaces shaping Kampala creators and consumers
It is impossible to talk about the arts and cultural scene in Uganda and not talk about the Kampala contemporary art scene, writes Dominic Muwanguzi. Since 2001, growth of the Kampala contemporary art scene has been facilitated by emerging new art spaces, new artists eager to innovate with non- traditional …
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