New York Experience in Pictures

Tusiime Mathias takes another Major Stride as an Artist

It maybe a stroke of luck or otherwise fruits of hard work, but either way, Mathias Tusiime is now in the first lane of achievers in the Ugandan art scene.
With two back to back invitations to the United States of America- first he was invited to University of Florida last year in August and recently in January to New York- to attend a residency program and a series of workshops, it’s evident that the self made artist is on the periphery of stardom in an industry that many call "a difficult one to find success in".
Tusiime's recent travel to the United States was in New York, Manhattan and later to Washington D.C courtesy of both Apexart (located in New York) and Makerere University,  College of Engineering, Design Art and Technology.
In New York Tusiime, was involved in a cultural experience residency that lasted for a month.
It involved among other things, him visiting a number of cultural sites like Museums, Socrates Sculpture Park and Theatres.
But it was not all about visitations, he had to interact and share his own experience here viz-a-viz those of his home country with the people he met.

Additionally, he had to write a report about his personal experience with the people he met and places he visited.

Thus Tusiime writes:’I have had to go through a cultural transformation throughout the time I have been in Newyork, Everything seems new to me i.e. the weather, environment, technology, food and generally the way things are done here is really different  from where I come from...”

Tusime also believes that this cultural residence has boosted and strengthened his confidence, and enabled him to improve on his communication skills through meetings with different people; not to mention expanding his network of friends and art lovers.

Though this is Tusiime's  second time to travel to the United States in a period of less than eight months, his excitement is infinite. Hitherto, the artist cannot believe the dramatic turnaround of his career in recent months.

“It’s still a dream to me. I can’t believe that I travelled to America all expenses paid for by my sponsors,” says he.

Incidentally, last year  while giving a talk about his art at the University of Florida, Tusiime, caught up in a surge of emotions, broke down and cried!

But who could blame him, anyways? As an artist Tusime has come from far; almost teaching himself  how to paint and recycle waste material collected from the  Faculty’s compound because he did not have enough money to buy paint and brush.

But his passion to express himself through art and encouragement from Dr. Phillip Kwesiga kept him going, albeit dissenting voices from some art patrons who thought of him as  a masquerader.

He proved them wrong when he sold most of his works at the Nommo Gallery, Kampala in 1999. Since then, Tusiime started calling himself an artist but still he was afraid to assert himself in public, probably because of his humble beginning and his timid persona.

Today, Tusiime is a transformed man and surely he’s in  charge of his destiny. This can be   observed by his tone of voice which is  assertive; a broad smile lighting his  boyish face and that fixed gaze onto the future. He is also a founder of Uganda Community Art, Skills development and recycling (UCASDR) an NGO which trains people to become job creators but not job seekers.

In years to come, I am most certain we’re to see a more transformed Tusiime. The cultural transformation he experienced on his recent trip to New York could have been a precursor to better things coming his way.

Tusiime Mathias trip to New York and Washington D.C was sponsored by Apexart Newyork and Makerere College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology.

For this trip, the Artist was recommended by Professor Phillip Kwesiga of CEDAT Makerere
For more information on the New York Experience Visit: http://blog.apexart.org/tagged/Mathias-Tusiime/chrono

This article was written by Dominic Muwanguzi.