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A vibrant #art scene in #Uganda mirrors #African #boom as more #collectors show interest
#KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Lilian Nabulime hasn’t forgotten the time in the 1990s when the Ugandan capital had just one commercial #art #gallery, a small space that emerging #artists struggled to get into.
Now, there are at least six in Kampala, including one whose #curator recently exhibited the sculptor’s contrarian work.
Nabulime’s show, which has attracted audiences for its conspiratorial take on the peculiarities of urban “gossip,” might never have happened if she hadn’t approached Xenson Art Space and asked for the opportunity to exhibit her work. Her work includes terracotta works topped with the deformed facial features of gossip bearers.
“Nobody ever comes to me and says, ’Oh, can we show your work?” she said, sitting amid her sculptures. “For me, I just decided and said, ‘Let me go and exhibit my work.’ I asked for the exhibition, and they gave me the space.”
Her solo show, which will last until Dec. 20, exemplifies an expanding #artistic landscape that allows more room for local artists who once struggled for space. Nabulime, who teaches #sculpture at a prestigious art school in Kampala, is among a growing list of artists whose body of work contributes to a feeling among curators of an exciting moment for #Ugandan art.
Their sense of cheer mirrors a similar trend across #Africa that’s fueled not just by an explosion of compelling new work but also by the growing ability of curators from the continent to reach new collectors at a time of rising global interest in modern African art.
There are fresh signs of this momentum. The #Ivorian #painter #Aboudia was the world’s bestselling artist in 2022, selling two more artworks than the popular #Damien #Hirst , according to the #Hiscox Artist Top 100 survey. And in November, an artwork by the #Ethiopian - #born artist Julie #Mehretu fetched $10.7 million at auction, a new record for an African artist.
In addition to the annual Art Auction East Africa in #Kenya — during which dead and living artists are valued if not rediscovered — the most ambitious curators from Africa are accredited to attend events such as the influential Art #Basel.
“Let us have more curators so that they can show other people’s work,” Nabulime said, speaking of the growing number of #gallerists in Kampala. “In Uganda, if we are to have more work on the international market, we have to have more curators who are well connected.”
English https://apnews.com/article/uganda-africa-vibrant-art-scene-8b301d9a80aae8e4f6c893a50b0d5032
A growing list of artists in Uganda is contributing to a feeling among curators of an exciting moment for art in the East African country. A similar trend can be seen across Africa. It’s fueled not just by an explosion of compelling new work but also by the growing ability of curators from the continent to reach new collectors at a time of rising global interest in modern African art. Uganda’s collecting class remains minuscule with new shows patronized by hip youngsters and expatriates. Gallerists still struggle to make sales. They rely mostly on collectors outside Uganda who may spot desirable artworks through promotional materials before making offers.
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