Stylistic Tendencies Charactering Ugandan Visual Arts

Mike Nandala & Andrew Peter Yiga

Nkumba University

Abstract. This paper discusses the diverse visual art practices in Uganda, highlighting the
stylistic tendencies that gave prominence of visual art production and techniques which have
created many possibilities for Ugandan artists to explore, tending towards the conceptual art of
the present. The discussion focuses on the visual art developments which saw the emergence and
influence of local materials and resources, during the 1970s – 1980s and the period of
experimentation, artistic styles, creative consciousness and global art participation in 1990s -
2000s. The paper further gives an account on the establishment of Commercial art education in
some tertiary and higher institutions in Uganda; the emergence of private art galleries and their
significant contribution towards the promotion of Ugandan artists and the commercial art
businesses. The analytical frame of reference focuses on local (and national) conditions of visual
art reception, consumption and production of commercial art by selected, prominent Ugandan
contemporary artists, attributing their contributions towards the development of visual art in
Uganda.

Keywords. Modern Art, Modern art, postmodern art.

Introduction
Like any language and social organization, art is essential to mankind
as a means of communicating one‘s experience. As an adornment and
creation of objects beyond means of most basic needs that support life,
art has accompanied mankind since prehistoric times. Traditions,
ideas, customs, beliefs, norms, values, attitudes and feelings and various
forms of cultures can be expressed in art through engraving, sculpting
or paintings. Due to its almost unfailing econsistence as an element of
many societies, art may be a response to some natural or psychological
demands as well.
Visual expression or account of a culture and its people can therefore
be easily seen and interpreted by an individual. Hence, art is regarded
as one of the most constant forms of human behaviour.
As the world continues to change and impact human life on a large
scale, art continues to experiment with new ways of reaching its
audiences by recreating stylistic tendencies that began by the emerging
art movements most popularise since late 18th century through the 21st
century where terms such as modern art, contemporary or post-modern
art have defined the trends of producing art across Europe and other
parts of the world.
The discussion throughout his paper places emphasis on
contemporary art practices in Uganda which combine elements of
Nkumba Business Journal (NBJ) ISSN: 1564-068X, Volume 16, October 2017, Pp. 221
– 240. http://www.nkumbauniversity.ac.ug/
painting and sculpture, among other media. It draws on the
characteristics of modern art and contemporary art, to create dynamic
pieces that aim to challenge the viewer and spark thought.
Many contemporary artists in Uganda today use their work to
comment on social, cultural and political issues, including race,
human rights, economic inequality, and gender among other areas of
interest or concern.

What is Modern Art?

The debate about the actual period when modern art began and its
definition is still going on and some scholars refer to it as the art of the
late 18th, 19th & 20th century (Gombrich, 1995). Other scholars agree
that modern art is generally defined as the art of the present or
recent times, Rabinovitch (2002), while some refer to it as style that
―rejected‖ traditionally accepted forms of producing art, Arnold
(2010). This belief assumes that modern art evolved in protest or
rejection of ―realism‖ and ―naturalism‖ tendencies. Artists during this
art movement emphasized individual experimentation in producing
art works. They did not reflect t raditional tendencies or principles of
representing forms in their realistic or naturalistic states, but preferred
to portray a subject as it existed in the real world, according to their
unique perspective that rejected accepted or traditional styles and
values. Some scholars commonly date modern art from the late
nineteenth century to the 1960s or beyond. Traditionally, the evolution
of modern art is constructed around a series of philosophical, intellectual
and aesthetic trends that informed artworks created at the time. Later,
the contemporary artists however focus more on the linkages existing
between artistic styles than on a linear progression.
The period - 18th to 20th century, meant the point at which artists
expressed and trusted their inner visions in their works, as well as using
real life situations, images and social issues from modern life, as sources of
subject matter. Innovation and experimentation were profound activities
that the artists engaged in.
The period associated with Modernism, was usually characterised by
significant social, cultural, technological and political developments in
the western world. Industrialisation, urbanisation, new technology, the
rise of the middle class, the secularisation of society and the emergence
of a consumer culture resulted in new conditions in which art was
created, exhibited, discussed and collected. The open market replaced
patronage as the means of financing art, giving artists the freedom to
engage in more experimental and innovative forms of practice. The

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modernist period was characterised by a belief in the progressive
tendencies of modernity, evident in movements such as constructivism,
Futurism and cubism.
The ―Modern‖ aspect was characteristic of self-consciousness, which
occasionally led to experiments with form, along with the use of
techniques that drew attention to the processes and materials used in
producing visual art and other forms of art. The system rejected the
ideology of realism and made use of artworks of the past by devoting to
repetitions, incorporation, rewriting, reconditioning, travesty and
revision of forms and stylistic tendencies.
The modern aspect further reflected a chronological and stylistic
designation that was always art relegated to be made from the
beginning of the twentieth century until after World War II.

Characteristics of Modern Art

Modern art movements were characterised by;
1. redefined boundaries of art that gave birth to freedom of
expression;
2. creation of abstraction or imitation of appearance and
3. creation of a range of new techniques by means of experimentation

From Modern to Contemporary Art

The period dating since 1970s onwards is also described in terms of
‗Post-modernism‘, which is a social, cultural and intellectual movement
characterised by a rejection of notions of linear progression, theories,
narratives and critical consensus associated with modern art
(Modernism), favouring an interdisciplinary approach, multiple
narratives, fragmentation, relativity and contingency.
The term contemporary Art, refers to current and very recent art
practice, attributed approximately, to the period from the 1970s to the
present. It also refers to works of art made by living artists Haute
(2008). This kind of art tends to be assessed thematically and
subjectively, drawing on an expanded range of theoretical and practical
disciplines which can be driven by both theories, ideas, and also
characterised by less distinction between the arts and other categories of
cultural experience, such as entertainment, digital technology and mass
media.

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Characteristics of Contemporary Art

Contemporary art was characterised by changes to; accepted tradition

and accepted taste in terms of style, understanding of a multiplicity of
viewpoints regarding subject matter, issues and ideas about the role of
object in space and relationships between objects which pronounced
purpose & function and the use of everyday materials that comprised
of local materials. Additionally, imagery of iconography from popular
consumer culture which comprised of thematic constructions and the
employment of contemporary technology in terms of application were
characteristic of contemporary art.
The central characteristic that has distinguished contemporary art
from its historical antecedents to that of a commodity, is almost
exclusively owned, shaped, interpreted, judged, traded and marketed
for the profit. A relatively small number of wealthy collectors, auction
houses and other dealers, including the critics, curators, book and
magazine publishers, and other insiders also make a living by
supporting and feeding off this industry.

Uganda’s’ Visual Art Scene in the 1970s – 1980s

The periods between 1970s – 1980s, Uganda was isolated from the
global aesthetic discourse due to ―it‘s rugged political past‖ Kakande
(2008). These periods were witnessed with civil wars that resulted in
many civilian deaths and unrests during Dr. Milton Obote‘s and Amin
Dada‘s regimes. The regime that caused most atrocities against the
civilian population was that of Amin Dada, who instituted a militaristic
rule which began in 1971 after overthrowing Milton Obote‘s regime
through a coup. The regime was overthrown in 1979 by a combined
force of Ugandan dissidents and the Tanzanian Army. Artists were
restricted from expressing their views through art, avoiding
apprehension by Amin‘s administration. They ―continued to create
overtly political images, which expressed disgust for leaders‖ Kyeyune
(2003). Those who attempted to express themselves through visuals,
were either forced to abandon their art activities or forced to flee the
country. For instance, artist Charles Ssekintu‘s paintings had religious,
social and political connotations, which criticized unethical conduct and
moral degeneration that was evident in Uganda. His art works were
rendered as an attack on government which caused Amin‘s operatives
to force him to flee the country in 1975. The suppression of the artist‘s
efforts to freely express their ideas didn‘t have a positive impact on the

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production of visual art and participation in global aesthetic discourse.
The artists in this era (1970s – 1980s), were highly expressive in style.
The period witnessed an influx of western ideas. New materials and
methods crept into the visual arts, and an inherent development in form
and content became certain. Kyeyune (ibid), adds: ―new media like
batik, better adapted to economies of scarcity, proliferated… with
shortage of imported materials and tools, artists investigated local
materials‖. Local themes and the available resources at the time arose
from the misfortunes that were brought about by the unsteady political
climate of the 1970s.

The Visual Art Scene in the 1990s - 2000s

During the 1990s, Ugandan visual arts corroborated advancement and
achieved international attention and recognition in the world‘s art
scene, where Uganda was represented in the ‗Africa95‘ Academy of Arts
London exhibition in 1995. The 1990s – 2000s, greatly contributed to artist
to become business entrepreneurs. This period also offered great
business expectations to Ugandans in broader terms, economically,
socially and politically. On the political scene, the promulgation of the
constitution (1995), introduced aspects economically and politically
created a business climate for artists to engage in the
commercialization of their work. Among the aspects that the 1995
constitution introduced, was the freedom of cultural rights and
expression Leyden (1996), which saw the restoration of cultural
institutions that were previously abolished by the Obote II regime.
Johnstone (2011), on analysing the ‗Evolution of visual arts in Uganda‘,
shared Professor George Kyeyune‘s testimonies concerning the political
messages that characterised the visual arts during the previous Ugandan
regimes of Amin and Obote during the 1970s – 1980s, and why the 1990s
visual arts had positive propaganda. He reiterates that the visual arts (of
the 1970s – 1980s), became a decade of self-evaluation, where artists
―showed disgust with their leaders‖ and how they later found a neutral
ground of freedom of expression later in the 1990s after the Ugandan
economy had stabilized under the National Resistance Movement
regime. The period witnessed an influx of western ideas of stylistic
tendencies. There was also extensive use of abstraction which tasked the
intellects in attempt to appreciate the products of this stylistic stream as
seen in works of General Elly Tumwine titled ‗Raising the Flag‘,
produced in 1990.
The artists of this period (1990s-2000s), also assimilated some of the
creative philosophy and ideas of the artists of the previous period (1970s

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– 1980s). Their dynamism had great impact on their works. They had
skilfully advanced their creative abilities, making their works unique in
form and content. For example, Daudi Karungi is known as one of the
direct off-springs of artist Joseph Ntensibe (by association), as his
mentor. Karungi is a mixed-media artist and arrived at the Ugandan art
scene in 2001. He has rapidly become one of Kampala‘s premiere artists
and his art works are collected widely by art collectors around the
world.
The artists during the 1990s-2000s, were highly influenced by their
mentors / masters, but propagated their ideas through schools,
universities, exhibitions, work- shops, seminars, and lectures where
some of them teach. They also combined abstract, realistic, and
illusionistic ideas with ethnic designs to produce their popular and
unique art. Also, through their various art works, they made
commentary on social, political, economic and religious life of the
people. They were also involved in various experiments targeted at
creating artworks which were devoid of western art elements.
The rejuvenation of the arts after the previous regimes of Idi Amin
and Obote II, brought about hope of Ugandan art benefiting from the
international exposure through the triangle workshops were first
introduced in 1997 in Iganga District in Eastern Uganda which also
extended to other African states namely Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe,
Kenya, South Africa among others. Internationally, on 4th October 1995
to 21st January 1996, Uganda was represented in the Academy of Arts
London exhibition that was titled ―Africa95‖ This exhibition contained
over 800 works that were conceived as geographical and historical
journey around the continent journey spanning millions of square
kilometres and some 1.5 million years. Its aim was no less than to
celebrate the art of an entire continent and it proudly proclaimed itself
as the biggest and most comprehensive exhibition of its kind ever held
in Britain, Leyden (2011). The aim of the exhibition was to stir up debate
about African art. The Ugandan delegation by then was led by the late
Professor Sengendo Livingstone, followed by a team of other artists that
exhibited art forms that also included the performing arts.
The onset of commercial practices for contemporary art in Uganda
was further promoted by the Triangle International Workshop and the
Ngoma International Art exhibition, influenced the emergence of art
studios in Kampala and also attracted international artists to work in
Uganda. Kyeyune (2012), asserts that:
“The philosophy of experimentation and exploration of unfamiliar
territory in art was applied at the Ngoma Artists Studio (NAS) because of
its flexible structures which gave artists the opportunity to experiment.

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 This same philosophy had proved successful for both the Triangle
International Workshops and Ngoma International Artists Workshop”.

Many upcoming Ugandan artists benefited from these international

patrons in developing new skills that supported their talents in the various
art disciplines. Several private art studios owned by the upcoming artists
later emerged alongside those that were facilitated by the already famous
artists at the time. A number of these young upcoming artists by that
time had not received formal training in art at school or college level
and formed the category of ‗self-taught‘ artists. Over time, these
artists progressively became established art businessmen and women,
engaging in the production, marketing and also selling their art works
through their own art studios or through primary art markets –
privately owned galleries where they exhibit and sell their works for the
first time and earn a commission.
The positive impact of these art practices during the 1990s
propelled the emergence of art entrepreneurs that supported the
Ugandan commercial art scene that has kept on expanding to date. For
instance, Dr. Kizito Maria Kasule, who is a re known painter and one
of the pioneer artist that emerged with the famous galleries that sprung
up after the economic stability of the 1990s, is a prominent art
entrepreneur, who has featured in several art exhibitions both in
Uganda and abroad and is also the director of Naganda International
Academy of Art and Design (NIAAD), a private school of higher
education in art, which he founded 2006. Among the popular upcoming
artist entrepreneurs of the 2000s, is Daudi Karungi, who is the director
of AfriArt Gallery in Kampala and also a co-founder of the START
journal. His contribution in promoting art and artists through these
means have put Ugandan art on the international scene.
The art business community, especially around Kampala – also
extending to the suburbs, particularly in the craft business, received
support from funding organizations and individuals to foster the
entrepreneurial aspect in promoting the art and culture as well Seilern
(2013). The support for cultural programmes by international bodies
such as the world bank, UNESCO, IMF, Ford Foundation among
others, promoted the adjustment programme that Uganda had structured
through economic development programmes since 1995 which later
extended to the popular Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP, 1997)
and The National Development Plan (NDP, 2010/11). The private
sector was also given the mandate to promote and handle the cultural
activities. In 1998, the Ford Foundation arranged a workshop in
Kampala to train artists to acquire entrepreneurial skills in setting up

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and managing their art businesses. This was one of the initiatives that
also supported the emergence of tertiary institutions and higher
institutions of learning later, that paid attention to training artists to
acquire commercial skills.

Establishment of Commercial Art Education in Tertiary and Higher

Institutions of Learning
The Private sector was also allowed to participate in tertiary education,
which saw five Universities and tertiary institutions coming up, starting
with Nkumba University in Entebbe, followed by Michelangelo School
of creative Arts along Entebbe road, Ndejje University, among
institutions that later came up with commercial art schools as well.
Nkumba University was the first among private universities in
Uganda to establish the School of commercial, Industrial Art and Design
(SCIAD), with the objective of training artists for job creation after. The
institution gained University status in 1994 and received a Charter from
National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), in 2006. Previously,
Nkumba University offered tertiary education under the umbrella
name, ‗Nkumba College of commerce‘ before it attained university
status. The college already had commercial art courses offered at
certificate and diploma level since 1979. The commercial art courses
were initiated by the late, Elly, B. Ssemanda Kyeyune, who pioneered
the art department during the college days. The introduction of the
commercial art course at that time was a turning point in the history of
art education in Uganda. Prior to this the basis of art education in
Uganda was either fine art, taught at Makerere University School of
Fine Art, or art education taught at several teacher education
institutions in the country.

The Late Elly, B. Ssemanda Kyeyune-Founder of the commercial art school in Nkumba
University

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The commercial Art course at Nkumba was focused on training
students to enable them engage in art that would serve to promote
humanity especially in the economic sectors. Consequently emphasis
was put on the graphic arts and the curriculum revolved around that
area in teaching, methods and materials. Nkumba University exploited
the ‗commercial art‘ aspect and gained a lot of popularity for the nature
of skills its art graduates had because the acquired practical skills
complemented the economic demand of the Ugandan business
community by advertising their products and services, in addition to
methods and materials that were not commonly employed in other
institutions. Given the entrepreneurial art skills, the graduates had a
very strong attitude to business and work, which made them have a
competitive edge over graduates from other institutions. A number of
commercial Art graduates own businesses, especially along Nasser
Road – in Kampala, particularly in printing. These young entrepreneurs,
also contribute in creating jobs as well partner with the commercial art
school (of Nkumba University), in offering internship/industrial
training activities.
The commercial Art course at Nkumba was focused on training
students to enable them engage in art that would serve to promote
humanity especially in the economic sectors. Consequently emphasis
was put on the graphic arts and the curriculum revolved around that
area in teaching, methods and materials. Nkumba University exploited
the ‗commercial art‘ aspect and gained a lot of popularity for the nature
of skills its art graduates had because the acquired practical skills
complemented the economic demand of the Ugandan business
community by advertising their products and services, in addition to
methods and materials that were not commonly employed in other
institutions. Given the entrepreneurial art skills, the graduates had a
very strong attitude to business and work, which made them have a
competitive edge over graduates from other institutions. A number of
commercial Art graduates own businesses, especially along Nasser
Road – in Kampala, particularly in printing. These young entrepreneurs,
also contribute in creating jobs as well partner with the commercial art
school (of Nkumba University), in offering internship/industrial
training activities.

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 The School of Commercial, Industrial Art and Design main block / gallery. In the
foreground, is the bust statue of the late Musangogwantamu Francis which was erected in his
honour.
The School of Commercial, Industrial Art and Design (SCIAD), of
Nkumba University was established on a firm foundation of an
interdisciplinary curriculum and given the latest industrial and
technological revolutions, the training aimed at focusing the student‘s
mind on the real and possible solutions for the future demands of the
creative and service industry. To accomplish this, SCIAD provided and
applied knowledge through artistic
design and emerging technologies
relevant to social, cultural,
environmental and economic
development. The School set goals to
promote teaching, researching and
applying creative art and design for the
development of society and creative
practice.
During the 1990s, through a grant, he
assisted the university to get. A number
The Late, Asoociate Professor, of Makerere University former
Musangogwantamu Francis –
Developed the Commercial Art School‟s graduates and staff joined the art school
modern physical and human resource (SCIAD) as fulltime time staff through
structure him, to assist in setting up the current
academic standards that brought on board; Associate Professor Andrew
Yiga, Dr. Venny Nakazibwe, Mr. Kanuge John Bosco, Mr. Jacob Odama,
Mrs. Josephine Mukasa, Mr Kakinda Fred, Mr. Kaggwa Lwanga Charles

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among others. These contributed in mentoring and training selected
SCIAD graduates over the years, who attained their Masters Degrees, as
assistant lecturers to fulltime staff positions after undergoing the junior
staff programme that the late Musango had initiated at the school. The
junior staff, that later attained fulltime and part-time status included;
Mr. Mike Nandala (fulltime), who was a pioneer bachelors and master‘s
degree graduate, and now a senior lecturer, Head of Department -
Graphics communication Design/ PhD candidate, was followed by
Mr. James Kasule (fulltime), Mr. Kivumbi Andrew (fulltime - Head of
Department - commercial Art), Kazibwe William and Recently, Mr.
Aron Bwayo (part-time), Ms Oliver Odongo (part- time), Eric Ssentamu
and Harrison Walukurungi (part-time) are among the human resource
efforts that the Late Musango‘s legacy had enabled, for the development
of SCIAD‘s very own academic staff.
The Positive impact of allowing the private sector to establish art
education centres put a greater emphasis on what is known today as
popular art or commercial art. The purpose of promoting this kind of art
emphasized the cognitive, Affective and especially the psychomotor
education objectives. The later concentrated efforts to promote activities
for training, or demonstration and measuring the trainee‘s skill
acquisition abilities for application in the field of work and
contemporary art practice. This created a sense of the artist‘s
understanding of the society needs.

Industrial Training
The society needs based concerns created the introduction of
collaboration measures between the commercial artists and the industry
stake holders which led to the establishment of industrial training
activities, where students were sent to organization‘s to acquire
additional hands-on skills practice that also benefited the institutions
training them, in terms of additional short time labour and
interdisciplinary skill ideas generated from the internees in offering
better services and problem solving. The trainees were able to identify
practical challenges during their training and were able to assist the
management of these industries or companies.
Industrial training is a multidisciplinary hands on field experience for
students undertaking either a bachelors or diploma commercial course
(or other practice based course), to have the field exposure to work
closely with Industry and Business working environments, which is
normally associated to printing or publishing firms, television and
media among others. An assessment guide is normally presented to the

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training supervisors for noting and evaluation during the training. The
training is meant to be a hands-on practical exercises supervised by the
host company and another supervisor from the institution that would
offer the awarding of either diplomas or degrees. The objectives aligned
to this kind of training firstly, enables trainees to get exposure of the
working environments related to the academic programmes they are
pursuing, secondly, to give trainees an opportunity to apply the
knowledge they have learned in art and design at university or
tertiary institution into practice in the art business and industrial art
establishments such as printers and art galleries; thirdly, to enable
trainees relate the knowledge (theory and practice) they have acquired
in class, applicable to the real world of economic art placements.

Emergence of Private Art Galleries

The art graduates during the 1990s began to witness artistic
opportunities in a new dimension and began adopting entrepreneurial
strategies in producing art and also marketing it, which was supported
by the emergence of commercial art galleries. ―Today, you will run out
of breath counting the galleries which have sprung up and those art
events which are earmarked with pomp and glamour‖ Muwanguzi, D.
(2011).
Gallery café and Tulifanya gallery were among the first popular
galleries in Uganda established in the 1990s that collected artists‘ works
which were thought to be marketable and hence promoted. Umoja art
gallery and Design Agenda among others, also recently opened their
doors to receive new emerging artists as well as promoting the old
artists in the field of art.
Another category that contributed to the contemporary art practices
in Uganda, alongside gallery exhibitions, later on, were the organised
out door exhibitions such as the MishMash open garden exhibition
which was sponsored by Orange Uganda (now Africel Uganda) that,
operated once a month, then the Fireworks Annual Art Exhibition also
organized by Fireworks Advertising Agency and the Signature Art
Exhibition which is sponsored by several top-notch corporate
companies.

Ugandan Contemporary Visual Artists

Some of the famous contemporary artists that emerged or attained fame
in the 1990s to 2000s included those who became famous with the
emergence of the first private commercial galleries - Gallery café and

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Tulifanya, and those that recently came to the limelight of the current art
business.
The following descriptions of selected artists, who have maintained
significant contributions to Ugandan art scene, indicated the periods of
their existence in the art practice and also depict some of their popular
art works as well.

Prof. George Kyeyune (1962 – 2017)

Prof. George Kyeyune is a member of the Ngoma International Artists
Workshop and well known sculptor, painter, art historian and educator
– Attained his first Degree from Makerere University in 1984. His art
explores a rich diversity of ordinary life of the urban and rural settings
in Uganda. His themes are inspired by circumstances in which
individuals struggle to earn a living, which he sometimes find absorbing,
for instance, the livelihood of market vendors, hairdressers, traditional
ceremonies, local transport cyclists and general social life of city
dwellers.

Local livelihood: hairdresser attending to a client while a young man also applies nail vanish.
Source: Start Journal of Arts and Culture

Kyeyune is also a renowned scholar with over twenty publications

in art history, most especially in the history of the 20th century art.
His wide knowledge in this field of scholarly work, besides
painting and sculpture, many other scholars have gone through
him while carrying out various art investigations and has
currently become one of the leading Ugandan art research
historians at Makerere University.

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 Fred Mutebi (1967 -2017)
A famous Multi-colour woodcut
artist who depicts stories about
critical social events in Uganda
and also portrays images
indigenous to the Ugandan
environment, was among the early
artists whose name and fame the
gallery establishments promoted.
He was introduced to
printmaking when he was a
student at the School of Industrial
and Fine Arts at Makerere
University in Kampala, between
1990 and 1993. Mutebi also
obtained a Fulbright Scholar-in-
Waiting for the wind by Fred Mutebi. Residence at Christian Brothers
Source: Start Journal of Arts and Culture University in Memphis and still
produces coloured prints to date.

Dr. Kizito Maria Kasule (1967-2017)

Kizito is still a practicing artist and a renowned painter and also
one of the pioneer artist that emerged with the famous galleries that
sprung up after the economic stability of the 1990s – Attained his first
Degree from Makerere University in 1992. He has featured in several
art exhibitions both in Uganda and abroad, namely, the Kunst Rett Vest.
Asker and Gallery Stilart, Gran in Norway in 2014, Makerere University
Gallery, Kampala, Uganda, La Fontaine Gallery in Kampala (2008),
Sakaraga Gallery, in New York USA (2006),Windhoek college of Art in
Namibia(2004), he has exhibited at the National Museum of Kenya-
Nairobi, Kenya, Paris Gallery in New York (2000) and Tulifanya
Gallery, Kampala, Uganda (1998), where he began.
Dr. Kizito Maria Kasule is also the director of Naganda International
Academy of Art and Design (NIAAD), a private school of higher
education in art, which he founded 2006.

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 Dr. Kizito Maria Kasule and one of his paintings. Source: Diani Beach Art Gallery

Dr. Lilian Nabulime (1963 – 2017)

She is a sculptor who works on a combination of wood and sheet
metals, to produce monumental sculptures. Her trade mark carvings are
characterised by her tree stumps. Nabulime usually chooses a trunk in
search for a motif from the stump from which she curves elongated,
elegant sculptures, mainly women heads. In addition to her style, her
sculptures carry a dynamic, organic rhythm that follows the grain and
growth pattern of the tree which often produces a sensation of spiral
movement. Dr. Lilian Nabulime is one of the few female sculptors in
Uganda.

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 Nabulime with one of her sculpture pieces. Source: Daily Monitor, July 30 2012

Taga Nuwagaba Francis (1968 – 2017)

Francis Taga is a painter famously known for his wild life paintings. His
favourite subject has always been wildlife and the human figure. He has
a passion for culture and his source of inspiration for his cultural themes,
are subjects derived from rural centres. He has been commissioned to
do several projects on the subject of wildlife and has worked with
numerous conservation and wildlife groups in Uganda, namely,
Uganda Tourist Board , Uganda Wildlife Education centre, Ecotrust, the
Jane Goodall Institute in Ngamba Island chimpanzee Sanctuary,
including African Wildlife Foundation. His wildlife images have also
appeared on Uganda stamps.

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 Taga Nuwagaba and one of his wildlife paintings. Daily Monitor, May 8, 2011

Maria Naita (1968 – 2017)

Maria Naita is an acclaimed contemporary female artist majoring in
sculpture and painting. She moulds wood, copper or metal to produce
her sculptures. Her sources of inspiration are from the environment and
Ugandan culture. She has exhibited internationally and also serves as
the director of the KANN Artist group, which was founded in 1998. And
a part of this artists group, she was among the artists commissioned to
create the commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
monument in Kampala.

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 Maria Naita: Sculpturing her heart to the world. Source: Daily Monitor, January 24 2015

Upcoming artists of the 2000s

One of the popular upcoming artists of the 2000s, is Daudi Karungi, who
is the director of AfriArt Gallery in Kampala and also a co-founder of
the START journal. His contribution in promoting art and artists through
these means have put Ugandan art on the international scene. He and a
number of other upcoming artists, including, Wasswa Donald (founder
the Artpunch Studio), Eria Nsubuga-Sane, Ronex Ahimbisibwe, Paul
Ndema and Kalungi Kabuye (lifestyle editor of the New Vision) , to
mention but a few, are among the current fast-growing Ugandan artists
on the Ugandan Artscape of the 2000s. These artists have created various
platforms that have endeavoured to promote and represent
Ugandan artists on an international scale, followed by participation
in several ongoing national and international exhibitions.

Conclusion
Uganda‘s art climate is characterised by exhibitions, art fairs, community
museums and performing arts, among others, which was brought about
by the favourable economic conditions that were ushered in by the
National Resistance Movement in the 1990s.
The freedom that was given to the private sector to set up centres
of higher learning and vocational training centres across the country
have significantly created opportunities for Ugandans to create their
own businesses hence contributing to national development and
commercial practice. The vocational centres have especially impacted

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practical skills to those individuals that did not afford University
education or were limited by the standards that existed to qualify
them to attain higher education.
Nkumba University, one of the first private University to offer
commercial art courses in Uganda has seen several of its graduates start
up their own businesses in Kampala and other parts of the country that
include, art shops/studios, vocational art institutions (e.g. Universal
Institute of Graphics and Technology - Kampala and Living Stone
media 256 ltd- Mbale), Art studios (Jinja Art Studio-Jinja) and printing
companies along Nasser road in Kampala. Some have become scholars
and administrators in different capacities.
The collaboration measures between the commercial artists and the
industry stake holders which led to the establishment of industrial
training activities, have established additional hands-on skills practice
that have benefited the graduates, in offering better services, job
creation skills and problem solving.

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Rabinovitch, c. (2002). Surrealism and the Sacred: Power, Eros, and the
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