December 01, 2022 - December 01, 2022
At Art Basel Miami Beach 2022, Afriart Gallery presents three artists living and working in Uganda: Richard Atugonza (Uganda, b. 1994), Emmie Nume (Uganda, b. 1999), and Mona Taha (Uganda, b.1988). Each having developed their own distinct styles of figurative art-making, their work takes the global trend of Black portraiture to another level.
Whereas the artists matured their practice into a strikingly personal material and visual language and expresses conceptually distinct approaches to figuration, they are united by sourcing inspiration and narratives from their immediate environments and from within themselves.
Rooted within an East African experience, Atugonza’s, Nume’s and Taha’s work offer profound insights into perceptions and visions of self and their peers, into explorations of identity and their place in a global context. This new generation of young artists working in Uganda proudly makes a point to tell their stories to the world - seen through their own eyes and materialized through their own hands.
Being a young artist living and working in an African country remains a challenging endeavor. Often young artists are misunderstood and under-appreciated by their communities, families, and friends, receive little or no support on a national level, and face a scarcity of learning, funding, exhibition, and residency opportunities, as well as access to art galleries. The perseverance to follow through against these odds and the leap of faith they took unites these three artists beyond their geographic location and figurative approach.
