The third edition of the Annual Njabala Exhibition (ANE), titled “Njabala: An Elegy,” is currently underway at the Makerere Art Gallery in Kampala, having commenced on March 5. Scheduled to conclude next Saturday, this year’s ANE, held in 2024, delves deeply into the theme of grief, as interpreted through the artistic expressions of renowned artists including Liz Kobusinge (Uganda), Lerato Shadi (South Africa/Germany), Helena Uambembe (South Africa), Letaru Dralega (Uganda), Charity Atukunda (Uganda), and Wambui Kamiru Collymore (Kenya).
The exhibition presents a diverse array of perspectives on grief, with some artists exploring personal experiences while others examine communal or societal aspects. Atukunda’s collection of four artworks stands out in its poignant depiction of grief. “Joy and Sorrow,” crafted from charcoal, soil, mica, glue, and glaze, portrays two sorrowful women with brown embroideries on their dresses, symbolizing the intertwining of joy and sorrow in life. Atukunda utilizes materials like charcoal and mica, commonly associated with women, to convey the complex emotions inherent in grief across all her artworks.
In addition to exploring personal grief, Atukunda’s works also delve into broader societal themes, such as cultural identity and traditional practices. Her piece “Untitled,” featuring a pre-made wooden mingling stick adorned with ink and acrylic paint, reflects on the loss of cultural heritage due to colonization and Christianization. Inspired by her late father’s research on the Christianization of the Bakiga community, Atukunda incorporates traditional burial rituals into her art, offering a poignant commentary on the impact of cultural displacement on personal identity.
“Dreamscape: A Meeting Point” and “Rituals of Purification” further explore themes of loss and healing, with the former reflecting on the artist’s personal journey through grief following her father’s death, and the latter examining the significance of death rituals within the Bakiga community.
In addition to Atukunda’s evocative works, Wambui Kamiru Collymore presents an installation titled “All My Venus Days Series 1 (Kampala, 2024),” which offers a reflective exploration of grief and resilience in the face of global challenges.
The Njabala Exhibition also features works by Kobusinge, Uambembe, Shadi, and Dralega, each offering their unique perspectives on grief and healing through art.
Alongside the exhibition, the Njabala Foundation and Archives of Women Artists, Research, and Exhibition (AWARE) organized a symposium at Makerere University, focusing on the overlooked contributions of women artists from the 1960s across the African continent. This symposium aims to shed light on the stories and identities of these artists and their impact on early postcolonial narratives.
Overall, the Njabala Exhibition serves as a platform for collective reflection on loss, healing, and resilience, offering a compassionate exploration of grief’s transformative power and its capacity to strengthen global bonds.
