Artistic and cultural budgeting needs political will – Mukula
Kerunen Acaye speaks with Mike Mukula at the fundraiser. Photo | Frank Baguma
What you need to know:
- That was the debut of the Ugandan pavillion at the famous art celebration, but there was determination that it did not have to be the last.
In 2022, Pamela Kerunen Acaye and Collin Ssekajugo became the first Ugandan artists to represent the country at the Venice Biennale.
That was the debut of the Ugandan pavillion at the famous art celebration, but there was determination that it did not have to be the last.
This year, the Biennale is set to start next month, and Uganda will be represented by an array of artists whose works include mixed media, poetry, hip-hop, painting, fashion, installation and beads.
The artists are Jose Hendo, a fashion artist who has been experimenting with backcloth and fabric recycling, Xenson Ssenkaba, a rapper and painter who has worked with backcloth, fabric and tyre rubber as collage and medium, Taga Nuwagaba, a painter whose documentation on Buganda’s totems was remarkable; Sana Gateja’s work with bids started a fashion revolution; and Ronald Ondur, who does sculpture, paints and stitching, among other things.
The artists will represent Uganda at the Venice Biennale, with Acaye curating the pavilion.
Last week at the Fairway Hotel, Acaye hosted a fundraiser whose target was to make it possible for artists to get to Venice as well as their works.
The fundraiser, where Captain Mike Mukula was the guest of honour, acted as a window to let the public into the work of the participating artist while opening up a discourse about government funding of art and culture.
It should be noted that many times, Ugandan artists have struggled to represent the country at bigger stages, mainly because of logistical issues such as accommodation and transport fares, while others have always had to depend on donors and funders.
While speaking to those present, Mukula noted that he will take it upon himself to present the issue of funding for art and culture to the president, but since this is an emergency, he promised to talk to the president personally.
But most importantly, he said that artistic and cultural budgeting requires political will.
Aptly titled Wan Acel, Alur for we are one, this year, Uganda will be joined by a number of other African countries, such as Morrocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania, who are making their debuts, among others.
In terms of artistic diversity, this year’s Venice Biennale promises to be among the most interesting ever. Thanks to this extensive array of national pavilions, Venice will be the most varied and stimulating creative venue of the present from April 20 to November 24, 2024.
The Venice Biennale is an international art biennial exhibition held in Venice, Italy. Often described as “the Olympics of the art world,” participation in the Biennale is a prestigious event for contemporary artists. The festival has become a constellation of shows: a central exhibition curated by that year’s artistic director, national pavilions hosted by individual nations, and independent exhibitions throughout Venice.
Additional information from labiennale.org.
