When arts rise...
Art
Selected k! Arts Journal Featurtures about Art and Artists
the intrinsic beauty in our ordinary lives
"There is an inherent respect and admiration of artists in Africa as a whole for what they are able to do, even without understanding what they do in these modern times of Western domination of materials, production and market. For the African Artist's place has shifted greatly in the last 100 years, as African art itself has experienced an identity shift from a people's art with indigenous patronage to one which belongs to a world of universal expression and appeal - this is the inevitable result of schools and interaction with other cultures of the world. This has left the African people isolated from their art and their artists because of the very dramatic transition the continent has gone through."
"Artists have the ability to somersault into the new world with ease even though they have the same heavy demands on their lives as everyone else. Creative talent has not been valued enough in our societies and not used for development . A very unique political and economical situation has evolved where the artist is seen as a magician and a visionary, or as a trickster and a liar. Schools are not teaching Art the way it should be taught. This year's best student at our national University was announced to tremendous applause by the Vice Chancellor to an audience of about 1000 parents and graduates. However, when it was announced that this student belonged to the Faculty of Arts and Industrial Design a whole three quarters of the audience booed and deflated the whole experience. I wanted to scream. The African Artist therefore, and in our Ugandan society in particular, is alone and isolated."
Paintings by Sanaa Gateja
View more work by Sanaa Gateja online at kushinda!'s new website
Art is the Heart of Culture, Creativity the Power of Progress
kushinda!
when arts rise...
A note about links in kushinda! : I try to find informative and relevant pages to link to, sometimes these are straightforward dictionary definitions, sometimes encyclopedic, sometimes I come across journals, blogsites, organisations, and academic papers that seem particularly appropriate to the context in which kushinda! or its contributors use the word or phrase concerned. My intention is always to inform and to stimulate debate and communication. Suggestions for links are always welcome, as are your comments and submitted contributions to kushinda!