UGANDAN SIX PAINT THE WALLS BEAUTIFUL AT VILLAGE MARKET

                   (L-R) Tindi, Lukwago, Kasagga, Sebandeke and Akiiki (missing is Anwar) bring art to Village Market

UGANDAN ARTISTS MAKE WAVES AT VILLAGE MARKET

By Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted to Nation.co.ke 19 April. 2018)

                                         Paolo Akiiki with paintings by (L-R) Sebandeke, Tindi, Akiiki and Anwar

Ugandan artists crossing the border into Kenya began long ago. Even before Jak Katarikawe came from Kampala and began painting in Nairobi in the 1970s, there was John Odoch Ameny, the amazing sculptor who fled the bloody rule of Milton Obote and the late Expedito Mwebe, both of whom mounted amazing exhibitions at the now defunct African Heritage Gallery. And even before them, Elimo Njau, who is actually a Tanzanian by birth, came from Makerere University in the late 1950s to create the Murang’a Murals, and then decided to stay.

                                                                                               Kasagga, Jude

The most recent crew of Ugandan artists also came from Kampala, but it was only late last month. Their destination was Village Market where they are about the cap off their six-man exhibition entitled ‘African Artistic Tales’.

The six have brought art that covers virtually all the expansive wall space in the Market’s exhibition hall. Plus they’ve mounted easels in the middle of the hall so they can accommodate the works of these six prolific painters, namely Paolo Akiiki, Anwar Sadat Nakibinge, Jude Kasagga, Saad Lukwago, Ronnie Tindi and Sebandeke.

                                                                                    Anwar Sadat Nakibinge
All six are highly accomplished artists, having attended art schools in Uganda and having exhibited extensively, including in Kenya where they have shown everywhere from Manjano and Brush tu Art Studio to the Kenya Art Fair, Banana Hill Art Gallery and the Talisman restaurant. But this is the first time that all six decided to join forces and share the expense of renting Village Market where their art has fortunately attracted a wide ranging attention from the public.

                                                                                               Lukwago, Saad
The reason for all the attention they’ve received is apparent the moment one steps foot in the massive white-walled hall. All six have a lovely way of working with bold and brilliant colors. Plus they all have distinctive styles.

For instance, Akiiki paints in golden sweeping strokes while Kasagga has specialized in painting the bustling city streets of Kampala and Tindi tends to mix paints and scraps of kitenge fabrics into colorful collage art.

                                                                                                Ronnie Tindi
Lukago’s masterpiece this trip is his gigantic long-horned Ankole cow while Sebandeke presents a mix of works including striking black and white zebra and a semi-abstract ecumenical piece.

                                                                                            Sebandeke 
The central organizer of the group show is Dr. Anwar who brings both his multilayered paintings filled with elegant African wildlife and singular scenes which also feature those gracefully long-necked giraffe interacting with other jungle creatures.

                                                                                             Akiiki Paolo

In all, the works are gentle in their design. There’s nothing esoteric or deeply intellectual in their art. But being mainly decorative, they are uniformly the type that one could easily take home and feel you now have a better grasp of beautiful East African and especially Ugandan art.

                                                               Lukwago Saad at Kuona Artists Alliance 2017