Women artists bare emotions in art exhibition

Five female Ugandan artists are holding an exhibition at the Xenson Art Space in Kampala, entitled Embracing Her Essence: A Celebration of Young Women’s Creativity, where they unveil layers of emotions, narratives, and experiences that resonate deeply with their audiences.
The show, which also explores identity, breaking boundaries, sisterhood and solidarity as well as celebrates resilience, ends today having started on March 9. The artists showcasing their works are: Nantege Rhona Kyewalabye, Nicole Remus, Olivia Mary Nantongo, Nabwami Mary Assumpta aka Ganda and Esther Kantono.

Lean on me 
Kantono is a painter living and practicing her artistry in Entebbe. She holds a Bachelor of Industrial and Fine Arts from Margaret Trowel school of Art from Makerere University. Her four paintings include: Sisterly Back Up, Blossom, Here I Am: A Self Portrait Unveiling Womanhood’s Fortitude, and Untitled. The latter—Here I Am: A Self Portrait Unveiling Womanhood’s Fortitude—portrays a woman with a headgear looking outwardly while her hands are folded over her chest.

“It challenges viewers to confront the depth and resilience of womanhood amidst life’s trials,” she says of the art piece, adding, “Through introspection and acceptance, individuals are empowered to embrace their vulnerabilities as catalysts for growth and empowerment, navigating the bruises of existence with unwavering determination.” Sisterly Backup shows a short woman in a yellow dress, resting her head on the back of a much taller woman in a light green dress.  

“This painting speaks to the universal longing for a confidante, someone with whom we can share our innermost thoughts and feelings, someone who serves as a reliable backup in times of need,” he says of her work, adding, “It celebrates the resilience and solidarity found in friendships, emphasising the importance of leaning on each other for support and understanding.”

Kantono says that her artwork “serves as a powerful reminder of the strength derived from authentic connections.” The women in the painting who are both dressed in beads display “the profound impact of having someone to lean on.” This, Kantono further notes, cannot be downplayed especially “in a world where sisterhood transcends blood ties.”

Elsewhere, Blossom depicts two women backing each other and facing in opposite directions with creeping green plants. Kantono says it shows life “can be a transformative journey” especially when an “interconnectedness within leads to profound growth symbolized by the unfolding petals of a blooming flower.”
Untitled shows four women in a conversation seated on the ground. The painting, Kantono tells Arts & Leisure, “urges reflection, dialogue and action towards dismantling stereotypes, promoting equality and fostering environmental stewardship.”

 Seeking answers
Remus, a self-taught visual artist, curator and graduate architect from Jinja. Her six media works are: You Are Here, Where Are You, Mock Up, Atonement: An Offering, Oh My Heart, and Telephone.  “These self-portraits explore how identity and the psyche shape our perspectives and understandings of ourselves and how we see or interact with the world around us,” Remus says. Mock up, Remus adds, “draws quite literally from the generic layout of a graphical mock up. One that “just tell[s] me what to say and I’ll say it.”

Where Are You? is a question that seeks to provide an answer to “a longing, a searching, an emptiness.” It, discloses Remus, finds an answer in the You Are Here painting. Telephone, meanwhile, references those string telephone tools we used to make as children, Remus says.
Oh, My Heart is the result of what Remus calls “pure happenstance” following the manipulation of photos.

“The images come together and called to mind a posture used in this context (Uganda) as despair and confusion, both hands raised to the head,” she says, adding, “The way my hands covered my ear, my mouth and had my eyes shut also showed a containment that I later related to the Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil monkeys... I love this artwork! The posture just carries so much in the body language and the tension therein.” Remus’ works—including Atonement: An Offering, which “was made at a pivotal time in my life”— explores the transcendent elements of the individual. Her works have transitioned into mixed media and now lens media.

Interdisciplinary approach 
Kyewalabye, a visual and spoken word artist has six paintings: Cascade, Dark Blue Is For Dreams, Sunset’s Decent, Emmwanyi, Still Waters, and Untitled.
Sunset’s Decent captures the tranquil beauty of a swamp at twilight. The canvas is awash with a symphony of purple, yellow, and gold hues, blending seamlessly to evoke the mystical atmosphere of the setting sun. The transition from day to night symbolises a period of transformation and renewal. 

Kyewalabye says “Emmwanyi” reminds her of Kimazi Village in Luweero where there are a lot of coffee plantations. Untitled shows a house painted blue with red iron sheets.
“This painting is from the memory of my childhood home. My family recently moved and I often miss where I grew up, the joy, the tears, all the experiences that made it a home,” Kyewalabye said.

is a 21-year-old young emerging artist; who Beyond the canvas, Kyewalabye, 21, discovered the power of words and has been a fervent spoken word poet since her childhood. She hopes to bridge the worlds of visual art and spoken word, weaving her art and poetry into a seamless tapestry of creativity that resonates with those who witness her work. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Fine Art at Makerere University.

Ganda has five paintings: Birds Orchestra, Home Sweet Home, Confining in a Friend, Following Her Footsteps, and Little Birds Concert. She says her work  captures Harmony between humans, cats, and birds, set against backgrounds of serene trees and shades.