March 22, 2025 - May 17, 2025
Afriart Gallery Kampala
Feeling that a weight has been lifted off one’s shoulders for overcoming a burden, butterflies in the stomach for being in love or a heavy heart for expressing deep sadness or sorrow – language is a testament to how emotions are not only expressed through bodily sensations but at times literally become a corporeal experience. At the heart of this exhibition lies Richard Atugonza’s and Daniel Atenyi’s profound expressions of mental predicaments through bodily shapes. In the way language is used to describe emotions as physical sensations, the two artists narrate through visual representations of bodies – at times their own, abstracted, realistic, incomplete.
In Atenyi’s and Atugonza’s work on show in ‘The Quiet Weight of Thoughts’, we delve into the duality between self-image and external perception, often revealing discrepancies that can illuminate the multifaceted, fluid and elusive nature of identity.
Through distinct methodologies, Atugonza and Atenyi both explore the interplay between natural materials and human expression. Atugonza’s use of charcoal reflects a deep connection to his environment. Through the transformation process he developed, the initially brittle material gains durability and strength, encapsulating a duality where fragility meets endurance.
In contrast, Atenyi’s focus on paper and his use of powdered charcoal alongside natural pigments like coffee highlight a grounded simplicity that allows for an exploration of complex themes within the human form. His visual language recalibrates reality through the abstraction of the human form.
As you journey through this exhibition, consider your own relationship with fragility and strength. We invite you to give thought to how your self-image aligns or diverges from how you believe others perceive you, to reflect on the intricate dynamics at play in shaping both our personal identity and collective understanding, and perhaps become aware of how these reflections resonate within your physical body.
Curatorial Statement by Lara Buchmann.
Installation Views by James Wasswa.