Artists toast to bonds in Kampala exhibition

A group exhibition titled “Allegiance to Thee” by seven artists is showing at the Amasaka Gallery on Kisasi Road, Bukoto, Kampala.

The artists at the show—that opened on April 29, and is scheduled to close on May 27—are Christine Nyatho, Carson Buka, Florence Nanteza, Frank Ssuuna, Joviah Nabiryo, alias Nabir Yo, Martin Jjunju and Charles Bukenya Kato, alias Kato BC.

Collin Sekajugo, the show’s curator, told Saturday Monitor that the artists’ “sole mission is to bring the best out of themselves by expressing their emotions, interpretations of life, and their abilities as Ugandan artists.” 

“The philosophies and stories embedded in their art practice,” he added, “are representatives of who they are and their beliefs.”

Nabiryo, who uses offcuts, bark cloth, threads, old clothes, and acrylics, has three artworks: Lost in Time; Parenthood; and Dog Love.

Nabiryo says Lost in Time, which shows a man and woman embracing each other, captures the “consequences [of] opening up one’s heart.” She reckons “losing oneself is the most fatal situation of all.”

Parenthood depicts a father and mother holding the arms of their child, and could—as per Nabiryo—be representative of “childbirth, adoption, or finding oneself a partner who is already with a child.”

Elsewhere, Dog Love shows a boy touching the head of his pet dog. According to Nabiryo, the loyalty of a dog is unmatched and deeply moving. The special bond between humans and dogs, she further notes, is no secret.

Nyatho, who employs bark cloth, canvas, fabric, and paint in her artworks inspired by the moon and the stars, has two artworks: Adherence; and Let’s Play. 

Of Adherence, she notes that “the bark cloth shaped as the map of Uganda with the flag on the moon shows how important it is for me to be Ugandan.” 

Let’s Play depicts a full moon on a bark cloth. The ubiquity of the moon in Nyatho’s works is indicative of her interests from childhood. 

“I have found the moon fascinating because of the imaginary images that it illuminates when it’s all out,” Nyatho told Saturday Monitor.  

Buka’s two mixed media paintings on grey backgrounds are My Confidante and Bliss.

My Confidante shows a man and woman dancing close to each other with flowers in the background. 

“I paint portraits of Black people in intimate moments,” Buka says, adding of relationships that “a man gains his confidence from his partner and a woman gains her confidence from her man too …being compassionate to each other … is a source of great joy for a couple to experience.”

Bliss, meanwhile, shows a man and woman intimately embracing each other with flowers in the background, depicting what Buka describes as “a great healthy complete relationship.” 
Sekajugo says Buka’s work is typified by an adventurous application of colour and style, often bringing his paintings to life.

Bukenya, who uses waste paper and acrylics on canvas, has two artworks: Drinking in Style; and Boy Child. The former shows the right hand of an acrobat holding a cup while the left hand is holding a flask.

“If only the flexibility of acrobats was applied in life maybe there would be less conflict and misunderstanding,” Bukenya says of Drinking in Style.  

Boy Child depicts a father carrying his son on his shoulders, reflecting, Bukenya offers, “the bond between a parent and a child, specifically father and son.” 

He adds, drawing on a lived experience: “A father brings up his son so as to take charge of his life and the lives of others.”  

Ssuuna’s two acrylics on canvas collage artworks are Ssatu and Live Session. The latter depicts a man playing a guitar. 

“I created this to shine a light on the unexplored relationship between human beings and music that we consume, how it’s created, and how it affects our moods, day-to-day experiences, and cultures…,” says Ssuna.  

Jjunju has two paintings: Girl in the Garden and Barbershop. Girl in the Garden shows a young girl in a light blue dress and pink shoes with a Bantu knots hairstyle standing in a garden. 

“I am always inspired by the environment and the community around me to bring out my past memories through the use of colours,” Jjunju says of Girl in the Garden that “was done using waste playing cards.” 
Barbershop depicts a barber trimming the hair of his customer in a salon. 

“This painting is a good memory of the old days when I went to the barber for a nice haircut,” Jjunju says, adding, “Comparing the past with the present, long ago; it was a razor blade with a combo but nowadays we use machines. It all goes back to reflect on my past memories.”