Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

Caption for the landscape image:

Artist explores material world in solo art expo

Scroll down to read the article

Louise Deiningerworks on an art piece in her art studio. Deininger’s latest artworks were displayed at her month-long solo exhibition titled “The Family Scars (A man Searches for his Soul)” that was held at the Xenson Art Space in Kampala from
November 30 to December 30, 2024. PHOTO/COURTESY/Les Nouveaux Riches Magazine

Louise Deininger has adopted unconventional materials such as elephant dung, the kanga textile, Ugandan barkcloth and cowrie shells to create monumental provoking artworks that dwell in the realms of critical thought, consciousness, spirituality, and identity. 

“Materials such as elephant dung, acrylic pigment, kanga textile, Ugandan barkcloth, cowrie shells, paper mache masks, Ugandan tea bags, soil and sand from northern Uganda, serve as a metaphor for cultural, political and social dynamics of our identity,” Deininger says, adding: “… these materials from different cultures reflect on my profound interest in the world of materiality and its role in art. The kitenge fabrics and gloves, drafted from the hands of my family members, made from barkcloth aimed at creating a constellation that captures individuality, with each piece shaping a dialogue about the connection between our movements and adaptability to different cultural norms.”

The works, she further discloses, “have been site-specific with the intention of realising them in Gulu, northern Uganda, in a bid to trace my forefather’s path through the Great Lakes Region and it is the reason why I used the soil and sand from the region.” 

Deininger’s latest artworks were displayed at her month-long solo exhibition titled “The Family Scars (A man Searches for his Soul)” that was held at the Xenson Art Space in Kampala from November 30 to December 30, 2024. 

“The title of this exhibition was chosen from an ongoing topic on scars which I am currently investigating,” Deininger, whose works were titled with different languages such as Swahili, Luo and Acholi all translated to English, says. 

The works
The piece Winye (Agreement) depicts our soul agreement as we enter into this world. The agreement we have with the mother; her lineage, the father and his lineage, our siblings, relatives, relations, family, clan, tribe, community, society and our role on the planet. 

 Wot (The trek) depicts the migration of Luo forefathers through the Great Lakes Region following the trail created by elephants (Luo migration), culture, heritage, social, economic and political ideologies adopted along the way, including their role in society today wherever they are in the world.

Nyodo 1 (Parenting 1) explores why the way we have been raised shapes who we are later to become.
Nyodo 2 (Parenting 2) also investigates why the way we have been raised shapes who we are later to become using a slightly different lens than the one employed by Nyodo 1.

Nying pen (Surname) questions and explores the notion of our surnames, as well as their role in forming a sense of our identity. Similarly, Nying ma’acaki- (The Genesis-First Name) questions the notion of our first names, why our parents decided to give us these names and their role in forming a sense of our identity. 

Elsewhere, Nying m’agiki (Last Name) questions the notion of our last names and their role in forming a sense of our identity. 

Nying ma’idiere (Middle Name) questions the notion of our middle names, why it was given to us and its role in forming a sense of our identity. All the works centred on the processes behind child naming also seek to ascertain what we would become if we did not have the names in question.

Other pieces
Teno kwot (Resonance) consisting of eight hands of Deininger and her siblings in a circle, is a homage to their late mother, and memories of how they came together for the first time in more than 30 years. 

This was after they lived in different parts of the world, ranging from Uganda, Kenya, Scotland, London and Austria. 
 Cang (Heal) explores and investigates the role of spirituality and healing in bringing about love, joy, peace and happiness in our lives so that we may realise our full potential and take part in uplifting humanity consciousness. 

 Kac (Shrine) made of a mosquito net, Ugandan barkcloth, cowrie shells, kanga, textile and a rope explores and investigates the role of spirituality, ritual and healing in bringing about love, joy, peace and happiness in our lives.
Irene Piloya, the curator, says the exhibition featured “a diverse array of works that challenge conventional perspectives, urging viewers to question, reflect, and explore the unseen layers of existence and adaptability.” 

 “The Family Scars explores the intersection of traditional materials and rituals through installations, objects and paintings. Materials such as elephant dung, which serve as a metaphor for cultural, political and social dynamics of our identity,” Piloya observes, adding: “The works primarily involve assembling various objects that represent different cultures, reflecting on Deininger’s deep interest in exploration of the material world. 

The kitenge fabrics and gloves made from barkcloth create a constellation that captures individuality and each piece creates a dialogue about the connection between our movements and adaptability to different cultural norms.”

“Through mediums ranging from painting to immersive installations, the exhibition unpacks profound questions on what shapes our identity. How do we engage with the spiritual within an increasingly material world? And can art illuminate the complexity of the human mind? The family scar is not just a visual experience but a contemplative one-a space where boundaries dissolve, and possibilities emerge,” she further notes.

The creative process
The majority of the artworks are made of elephant dung, acrylic pigment, kanga textile, Ugandan barkcloth, cowrie shells, paper mache masks, Ugandan tea bags, soil and sand from northern Uganda. Asked how she went about mixing all these materials together, Deininger responds: “The process involves collecting the desired materials in this case. The elephant dung was collected from the elephant path in Paraa District, northern Uganda.

The elephant dung was dried then pounded into powder form, later mixed with acrylic pigment, soil and sand to acquire the desired results in different colours, which were applied on canvas mounted on plywood.”

She adds: “The kanga textile in this case was from my late mother’s wardrobe and Ugandan barkcloth cut into desired shapes and glued onto the canvas as collage before applying the pigmented elephant dung. Masks also mounted on the canvas were created out of paper mache ... I used leftover tea bags from tea that I had consumed during the two months of production. Photos of my parents were also used as motifs for the masks.”

To top things up, Deininger discloses, “the Cowrie shells are placed individually on the finished piece and pigmented elephant dung is used as adhesive.” Deininger says she is “a conceptual artist in a contemporary sense who works using unconventional materials.” She is “driven by a deep passion to depict art in new and unique forms, against the backdrop of usual traditional methods applied previously in the art world during the creative process.” 

“I am also driven by the desire to question perception and provoke thought while inspiring viewers to ask deeper questions beyond preconceived ideas regarding art,” she says, adding: “I am also driven by the wish to encourage dialogue while going beyond boundaries set up by the art world. I am also driven by the deepest desire to understand who we are, where we come from and our relationship to the universe both within and without, and why art can be an instrument upon which we can find answers to these questions.”