Art and The Community News

Art and The Community

Posted in: news on Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Tags: Art and The Community, Art Exhibition, Canavs Grass, Entrepreneurship, Makerere Art Gallery, Margaret Trowell School of industrial and Fine Art, Mathias Tusiime, Sisal, Sugar Cane husks, UCASDR, Youth

The innovation of bark cloth paper and its use in art work, coupled together with different research and experiments with alternative, organic materials for canvas such as grass, sisal, sugar cane husks and maize covers. This was the innovative art work showcased at the Art and Community Exhibition, by artist, Mathias Tusiime.
Art and the Community exhibition showcased Tusiime’s experiments with paper production from recycled materials as well as painting from his heart have been shared with young often unemployed people of Kalerwe a poor neighborhood in the outskirts of Kampala
Mathias Tusiime has been a grounds man at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art since 1999, he however did not allow his job to define all that he was. With great curiosity and a desire to learn, he interacted and engaged with art students and art teachers who helped guide and direct his raw talent.
Without any formal education, the self-taught artist and paper maker has developed a unique personal style of painting which has seen him blossom in the art scene both nationally and internationally.
The Uganda Community Art Skill Development and Recycling (UCASDR) project, was also officially launched during the opening of the exhibition. This project, in which Mathias is   director, uses Art and Craft to address health issues and also helps impart entrepreneurial skills to young people. Through the UCASDR project, Tusiime works with and has been able to empower the unprivileged people of Kalerwe suburb in Kampala by teaching them craft skills that can help them to earn a living.
Art and The Community Exhibition was opened at Makerere Art Gallery on 9th July 2015 and run through the 1^st of August 2015.
please follow the link bellow on College of Engineering Design Art and Technology (CEDAT) Website
http://cedat.mak.ac.ug/news/art-and-the-community

Refugee & Hope International to select Uganda community Art skill Development and Recycling,(UCASDR) team member to train music and dance to the refugees living in Kampala Kansanga on voluntary basis for one month.

JUST A SMILE   

It was great fun at Refugee and Hope International Kansanga, Uganda as a the youth from different countries and several cultures coming together to sing and dance their music and dance in a talent show under the theme “I GO THE MILE”.

I was so privileged to volunteer as the performing arts trainer, through which I got a chance to train and guide music and dance rehearsals for one month before the talent show. Each country and culture was represented as far as music and dance is concerned.

Several countries were represented including Uganda, Congo, North Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Nigeria. You can imagine how exciting it was to dance and sing the cultural music and dances of all these countries.

Someone may ask ……”what was the intention for such a performing arts item?” Here is the simple answer. For such a community of refugees, an item of singing and dancing their cultural music and dance means a lot to them. First and foremost singing and dancing their music works as a psychological therapy from the effects of war, conflicts and displacement. This music and dance brings back the good memories experienced back at home and increases the hope that one day they will go back home.

In addition the talent show intended to increase socialization and teamwork among these people that come from different parts of the world. After all the pain and sorrow that come with wars and displacement, separation from family and loved ones, the refugees need someone to talk to, to share life experience with, someone to show them love and care, someone to bring a smile on their faces. A smile, just a smile is all they need to keep on moving.

Therefore I was so much happy and touched whenever we smiled together, shared life experiences and moments of fun and happiness during the course of the music and dance training. It was overwhelming learning the music and cultural dances of all the countries mentioned above.

 At long last the long awaited day was there for us to rejoice in! You need to have been there for you to understand what I am talking about. Many items were presented among which were singing, rapping, modeling, drama, fashion show, poems and of course the mighty item; cultural dance.

The cultural music and dance was extremely exciting…… as I played the drums for each of the cultural dance, I felt like heaven was on earth, and as each culture stepped forward to present their dance, the audience could not hold it any longer, so everyone stood up to join us and the whole venue was wild with dancing, ululations, clapping, cheering and enjoying the different cultural music and dance. It was indeed an evening back home!

Support the refugees and other people in need morally, socially, and materially whenever you can

Geradine  kiconco

Ugandan graduate

 Bachelor’s degree in music

Makerere University.

Artworks on Sale to Fundraise for UCASDR Activities

The purpose of this post is to showcase artworks that I am selling to help me support the activities of
Uganda Community Art Skills  Development and Recycling.
At the moment UCASDR has no permanent home/office however construction work is underway and funds are required for roofing and other finishings requirements. It is upon this background that I am putting up this work for sale in order to fundraise for this and other pressing needs of the organisation. Therefore I urge you all my followers and all those who have UCASDR at heart to support this cause through buying an artwork. I thank you.

Empowerment  (Mixed Media) Price 1000$

Hospitality (Mixed Media) 110 x73 cms Price 1000$

In Between (Mixed Media) 54 x78 cms 500$

Which Way (Acrylic on Canvas) Price 200$

In case you are interested in purchasing an artwork please contact me on tusimemath@yahoo.co.uk or tusimemath@gmail.com Tel: +256752533122