Eria Nsubuga Fine Artist Portfolio

Eria Nsubuga -- Fine Art

Artist Profile

Eria Nsubuga is a Fine Artist.

Eria Sane Nsubuga

I'm a Visual Artist mostly painting. My style is what some Artists in Uganda choose to call 'Indigenous Expression', a term coined by Ugandan artists Henry Mujunga and Stephen Kasumba to refer to those artists who paint with what raw energy and flair that's integral to their indigenous nature. They seek to disregard rules and doctrines on artistic representation. If you love almost naive, illustrative work, then perhaps you'll like what I do. I'm inspired by artists Joan Miro, Picasso, Romano Lutwama, Paul Klee, Stephen Kasumba, Henry Mujunga, Nabuulime, Nnaggenda, Rose Kirumira, Kizito Maria Kasule,and George Kyeyune. I also do Sculpture,and Printmaking. I'm also a singer and songwriter.

I'm inspired by Nature, Human activity,local and World Political issues such as Trade and Economic development, Racism, Homosexuality, Climate change, the Metaphysical (dreams),and the Bible.

At the moment two important but related issues hang over my Ugandan head. The first is the looming decimation of the largest tropical rainforest in East Africa, the Mabira forest in order for sugar cane to be produced due to increasing demand for sugar in Uganda and the new Southern Sudan.

The other issue which is related to the first is the 'Land grabbing' going on in Uganda particularly in the central region of Buganda. A new land bill is in the offing in Kampala which is intended to change ownership of land from a 'few' thousand landowners to a few million over night.

These events are worrying for many Ugandans, including the King or Kabaka of Buganda who could lose alot of historical land and the power that goes with it.

I am also intrigued by the fact that no country wholly governed by indigenous Africans has attained the level of Economic growth that other countries 'extra Africanis'. All the resources are there to aid in Development yet it eludes us in Africa. Many Issues have been blamed for this including Neo colonialism, Racism and so on.

My personal view on this Development gap is that Africa has not yet achieved an identifiable Cultural revolution. The way we view ourselves, how we use our time, per capita productivity, the degree of specialisation, and defined roles of men and women. (forget this Women Lib. stuff. It appears armophous and premature in Africa) How the contemporary Africans can own and manage mobile phones, drive big fancy S.U.V.s, eat fast food, and wear fancy Western clothes and yet on the general scale neither own nor manage proper sanitary facilities like toilets and bathrooms is simply amazing.

What is really hurting real African Development is a form of, in Mazrui's terms,a Cultural Schisophrenia. We seem to have vestiges of our crude or destroyed cultural past with a semblance of Wertern modernisation which in my opinion are creating more confused state of mind for the modern African.

It would seem that what Mbeki, the South African President said about what was killing Africans the most is true. He is quoted to have mentioned that Africa's AIDS problem was not the most important of Africa's killers, but rather Poverty.

It is evident that Mental Poverty derived from an unclear or destroyed past is our most fundamental problems. That problem can only be resolved by the Africans themselves. The role of the Contemporary African Artist should therefore lie not in preoccupation with daily survival, but rather with inculcating into the minds of the Africans the need for a cultural awakening or revolution, not by reminiscing and crying about the glorious past that may or may not have been, but rather on focussing on who we are as Africans and then moving to set our own Cultural and therefore Political agenda.

We can not succeed by mimicking the Western agenda or following the Prescriptions of the IMF and the World Bank. First we must awake from our cultural sleep and realise who we are before we can recognise what we have around us.

With the repeated failed Democratic processes in East Africa, particularly Uganda and of late Kenya, it would seem that a new form of Democracy must evolve if it is ever to succeed in uplifting the lives of the people. Why should we continue to choose our leaders on the basis of tribe, and religion rather than choosing people who are good for the development, not of some groups above others, but for blanket growth?

What leaders in Africa are doing today is to engineer the economic empowerment of 'special interest' groups at the expense of the rest of their people. Political perpetuity of individuals is more important than the national development.

Moreover some individuals have forced themselves and their warped agendas onto the 'weak' masses. By maintaining the happiness of a small 'critical mass', the general masses are left lingering on the frontiers of Poverty and Disease.

About who the modern African individual, one can say that Africa's identity is still being metamorphised and our culture has taken a back seat to Westernised or Easternised culture, as the case may be. Western concepts about time keeping and usage have been imparted, if ever so slowly and with little actualisation, into the mindsets of the Africans, the African wears Western clothes, accepts Eastern and Western Religion, speaks to his fellow African in English or French, or Portuguese, or whatever. It is credible to say that one can easily travel from Uganda to Belgium by air, but not be able to easily travel from Tanzania to Algeria. Africa's 'compartmentalisation, according to Professor Mazrui is not just dividing Africa in Physical terms but also in their mindsets.

When will it be possible for a Ugandan to do open fair trade with a Moroccan? Access to markets shouldn't only be addressed by African leaders towards the developed West and Far East, but should also be aimed towards developing economic and social interaction between Africans themselves from North to South, from the East to the West of the great African Continent.

Exhibitions

2009: “BEAUTY IN NATURE OR THE PLEASURES OF A
BANANA REPUBLIC”, TULIFANYA GALLERY, KAMPALA,
UGANDA

2009: GALLERY 122, HANG IT, Northeast Minneapolis,
Minnesota, Usa.

2009: TULIPAMWE INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS EXHIBITION,
Franco Namibian Cultural Centre (Fncc) And Goethe
Zentrum , Windhoek, Namibia

2009: “MANGFOLDIGHEDEN I MODERNE, AFRIKANST
          KUNST” Centre For Kultur Og Udvikling (Danish Center
          For Culture And Development), Thorup Hedevej 3,
          Dk-9339 Dronninglund, Denmark.

2008: “A REAL AFFAIR”, Dunigan Designs, St Croix,
US Virgin Islands, Usa.

2008: DUNN BROS.COFFEE, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis,
Mn, Usa.

2008: “ART FROM UGANDA”, Vision Gallery, Chandler,
Arizona, USA.

2008: “ORIGINAL PAINTINGS FROM UGANDA”, Iron
Horse Gallery, Park City, Utah, USA.

2008: ART-A WHIRL, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

2007: “AMONG FRIENDS”, Tulifanya Gallery, Kampala,
Uganda

2007: “NATURE IS...” Alliance Francaise/Uganda German
Cultural Society, Kamwokya, Kampala

2007: “VISIONS FOR HUMANITY”, Caribbean Museum
Center for the Arts, St Croix, Us Virgin Islands, USA.

2007: 3RD EAST AFRICAN ART BIENNALE 2007, National
Museum Of Tanzania, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania

2007: “FOCUS ON EAST AFRICA”, Rahuset Exhibition Hall,
Copenhagen, Denmark

2007: LESSEDRA WORLD ART PRINT ANNUAL 2007,
National Palace of Culture And Lessedra Gallery,
Sofia, Bulgaria

2007: MILAN TRIENNALE, (Fabrica and Colors Magazine
Notebook Exhibition), Milan, Italy

2007: SARABA GALLERY CAFÉ, Tokyo, Japan

2007: AFRICAN PRINT SHOW, The Domaine, And The
Orangie Of Madame Elisabeth, (The Sister Of King
Louis Xvi) Versailles, France

2006: COLORS MAGAZINE NOTEBOOK EXHIBITION,
Centre Pompidou, Paris, France

2006: 5TH LESSEDRA WORLD ART PRINT ANNUAL,
Sofia, Bulgaria

2006: ART FOR ABATO 2006, Emin Pasha Hotel, Kampala

2006: “AFRICAN EXPERIENCE”, House of Phillips Gallery,
Australia

2005: 2ND EAST AFRICAN ART BIENNALE, Dar-Es-Salaam,
Tanzania

2005: “JOGOO POLITICS”, Tulifanya Gallery, Kampala

2005: GROUP SHOW, Le Rustique Restaurant, Nairobi,
Kenya

2005: “LESSEDRA INTERNATIONAL PRINT EXHIBITION,
SOFIA, BULGARIA

2005: “POWER IN PRINT (AGALI AWAMU)” East African
Printmakers’ Exhibition, AfriArt Gallery, Kampala

2004: “EMOTIONS” EXHIBITION OF VISUAL ART, POETRY
AND MUSIC, ALLIANCE FRANCAISE, KAMPALA

2004: “ART FOR ABATO 2004” Annual Exhibition and
         Fundraiser for Nsambya Babies Home Orphanage,
         AfriArt Gallery, Kampala, Uganda (Largest Assembly
         of Ugandan Visual Artists Ever)

2004: “CET04 TOKYO DESIGNERS BLOCK CENTRAL EAST”
International Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan

2004: “NETTETAL” BARKCLOTH EXHIBITION, Hinsbeck,
Germany

2004: ATHENS ARTIADE 2004, Athens, Greece

2004: OPEN DAY OF THE STUDIO, Oberpfalzer
Kunstlerhaus/Kebbelvilla, Schwandorf, Germany

2004: AFRICART 2004, BERLIN MITTE, Berlin, Germany

2004: THE BREATHING BIJLMER FESTIVAL, O-Nivo
Restaurant, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2004: “ACHOLI STORY”- Pickings From The Northern Uganda
War Situation, Alliance Francaise, Kampala

2003: SECOND SOLO EXHIBITION, Tulifanya Gallery,
Kampala

2003: OLYMPIC ART AND SPORT CONTEST 2004
EXHIBITION, National Museum, Kampala, Uganda

2003: EAST AFRICAN BIENNALE, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

2003: EQUATION CAFÉ GRAND OPENING, AIDCHILD,
KAYABWE (EQUATOR), Mpigi, Uganda

2003: PRINTMAKERS’ EXHIBITON; An Art Exhibition Of
Woodcuts, Engravings And Monoprints, Nommo
Gallery, Kampala

2003: KUNSTSUPERMARKT 3, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2002: TEXT MESSAGES, DAVID YOUNG GALLERY,
Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.

2002: WILDLIFE EXHIBITION, Uganda German Cultural
Society, Kampala

2002: ILLUSTRATIONS FROM AFRICA, Exposition at Ecole
Francaise, Kampala

2002: DISCOVERIES 5: Young Artists’ Show, Tulifanya
Gallery, Kampala

2002: FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION, Tulifanya Gallery, Kampala

2001: DISCOVERIES 4, Tulifanya Gallery, Kampala

2001: WOMENS’ WORLD EXHIBITION, Makerere University
Art Gallery, Kampala

Workshops

2009: Tulipamwe International Artists’ Workshop, Okakarara,
Namibia

Residency

2004: Oberpfalzer Kunstlerhaus, Keppel Villa, Schwandorf,
Bavaria, Germany

2003: East African Residency (Kuona Trust), Nairobi, Kenya

Publications

2009: "Africa Now! Emerging talents from a continent on the
         move", World Bank Art Program/General Services in
         partnership with the World Bank Vice Presidency for the
         Africa region and the Biennale of contemporary African art
         Dak'Art, Senegal, Washington D.C., U.S.A.

"Moderne Afrikansk kunst/ Mangfoldighed og Udvikling", med stotte fra Center for Kultur og udvikling (cku)(Danish Center for culture and development(dccd)), (afro-art.dk), Dronninglund, Denmark

Cover art for the book "New Agenda for African Development: G8 Summit in Hokkaido and TICADIV", written and edited by Eiichi Yoshida. 2008. Publisher: IDE, Chibashi, Japan

2007: Cover art for The International Bank for Reconstruction
          and Development/ The World Bank book "Global
          Monitoring Report 2007 Millennium Development Goals
          Confronting the Challenges of Gender Equality and
          Fragile States", The World Bank Art Program,
          Washington D.C., U.S.A.

2007: Cover art for Magazine of "Ajiken World Trend" June,
          July and August the Institute of Developing
          Economies/ Japan External Trade Organization
          (JETRO), Chiba, Japan

2007: "Vilje til forandring: Samtidkunst fra oestafrika",
           Publication by Ulandssekretariatet, kunstnerne og
           forfatterne, Denmark

2007: German Ugandan Cooperation, Publication by
          German Embassy, Kampala, Uganda 6th Biennale
          Internationale de la Gravure d'Ile-de- France Catalogue,
          Versailles, France

2007: "African Arts and Crafts" Catalogue, Institute of
          Developing Economies/ Japan External Trade
          Organization (JETRO), Chiba, Japan

2007: City Beat Magazine, February 2007, Kampala, Uganda

2006: Cover art for Research publication "Interactions of HIV
         with leprosy and tuberculosis" by Robert Bwire, printed
         in the Netherlands

2006: East African Art Biennale 2006 Catalogue,
         Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

2006: 5th Lessedra World Art Print Annual 2006 Catalogue,
         Sofia, Bulgaria

2006: The Artfest Magazine, Kampala, Uganda

2006: Art for Abato "Like what you see" Catalogue, Kampala,
        Uganda

2005: 4th Lessedra World Art Print Annual 2005 Catalogue,
        Sofia, Bulgaria

2005: East African Art Biennale 2005 Catalogue,
         Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

2001: "2001 Presidential Elections in the Eyes of the Artists
        (Sweet and Sour)" Catalogue, May, Kampala, Uganda

Education

2001, 2004, 2007, 2008: Master of Arts in Fine Art (Sculpture),
Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts,
Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

1998 - 2001: Bachelor of Industrial and Fine Arts (1stClass
Honours), Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and
Fine Arts, Makerere University, Kampala

1992 - 1998: UCE (O’ Level) and UACE (A’ Level), King’s
College Budo, Mpigi, Uganda

1985 - 86, 1988 - 91: PLE (Primary 1-2, 4-7), Lake Victoria
Primary School, Entebbe, Uganda

1987: Primary 3, Budo Junior School, Mpigi, Uganda

1983 - 84: Kindergarten, Entebbe Kindergarten, Entebbe,
Uganda

1979: Year of birth in Central Uganda

Award

Nov 2005: Joint 1st Prize Winner German Technical Service
(G.T.Z.) 30th Anniversary Art Competition, G.T.Z. Offices,
Nakasero, Kampala, Uganda

Dec 2003:   Winner, The Artists’ Choice Award, Art For Abato
         Charity, (Abato Rocking Horse Exhibition) Kampala,
         Uganda

Nov 2001: Academic Excellence Award, Makerere University
Old Budonians Club, Kampala, Uganda

Oct 1995: King’s College Budo Academic Prize (O’ Level)
For Art, King’s College Budo, Uganda

Contact The Artist