Uganda community Art skills development (UCASDR ) to Host #CASEY SMITH second Apexart fellow from New York city to Kampala-UGANDA

 Uganda community Art skills development (UCASDR ) to Hosts second Apexart fellow from New York city to Kampala WE ARE SO GREATFULL
LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVE A STRONG COLABORATION WITH APEXART NEW YORK CITY
FOLLOW CASEY SMITH HERE IS THE LINK

https://apexart-journal.tumblr.com/tagged/casey-smith/chrono

Invitation to the Closing of UCASDR Art Exhibition and auction

Dear Friends Your Invited to the Closing of      

UCASDR Art Exhibition and auction at Makerere University Art Gallery Kampala

FROM GRASS TO GRACE: MATHIAS TUSIIMES AUCTION/EXHIBITION AT THE MAKERERE ART GALLERY RAISES AN INTERESTING DEBATE

 OPENING AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY-KAMPALA,UGANDA

Article by Ibanda joshua

,Alecturer Kyambogo university

FROM GRASS TO GRACE: MATHIAS TUSIIMES AUCTION/EXHIBITION AT THE MAKERERE ART GALLERY RAISES AN INTERESTING DEBATE

Mathias Tusiime, the man who used to fix our white canvases onto frames, assisted female Art students to suspend their murals on high studio walls in the late nineties is now a soaring Ugandan Artist.  The popular story about Tusiime receiving no formal educational training in art, or cleaning the studios at the school of Industrial and Fine Arts is slowly but surely becoming insignificant. That story may soon find a good place in books of contemporary African artists and museum archives.  His Auction and Exhibition of about forty or more paintings which opened on the 3rd of May 2019 was a well-attended function.  Most of the social media invitations indicated 5:00 p.m as the opening time , but for the love of Tusiimes art and cause, most of the art lovers waited patiently until the arrival of the guest of honor.

During the first half of the waiting period Tusiime looked a little bit nervous but was constantly comforted by his number one client, the former cultural attaché o the Italian Embassy, Pietro Auverono.  The diplomat seemed to have a clue as to when the guest of honor would arrive.  Finally the guest of honor arrived and Tusiime was now standing between Pietro and The Deputy head of Mission of The Italian Embassy, Lorenza Gambacorta. Tusiime was now balancing in between like the bald headed Jedi master Mace Windoo, confident and not confident but sure of victory due to an invisible force locked within his soul.

After the speeches, Tusiime gained momentum. He was seen confidently gesturing in the air as he explained his works to the two Diplomats before an army of photographers.  He was accompanied by the president of the Uganda Visual Artists and Designers Association Eddy Waddimba. Tusiime runs an organization, The Uganda Community Art and skill development Recycling (UCASDR) Project which seeks to improve the livelihood of communities through art.

I first wrote about Tusiime in 2013, the year in which he was invited by the University of Florida Center for Arts in medicine.  He flew to the US to conduct a workshop about his work in the University of Columbia, USA Mbali Institute, Merryland University and New Orleans University.  My main task was to write a piece about Tusiime in the context of why he had won the hearts of Western Art collectors. Could it be that the Western Art Collectors found something unique in “Tusiimerism” Or “Katarikawerism” which is lacking among formally trained Artists? In General I analyzed the work of Tusiime and that of our departed Art Maharaja Jack Katarikawe.  Like most scholars about contemporary African Art such as Kasfir, Kyeyune, Ifee, Sanyal, Kakande Kwesiga, Tumusiime, Ssempangi, Nnagenda Kizito, I was converted to their philosophy.  This philosophy advocated for practicing and adopting a form of Art that is skewed towards African consciousness in terms so subject matter style and finish.

It is surprising that both Tusiime and Katarikawe benefit greatly from this school of thought yet most formally trained African Artists continue to stick to western principles and elements when making paintings, sculptures ceramics, Fashion. Jewelers, etcetera.

However, much as we categorize Artists like Tusiime, Katarikawe and a large number of other excellent African Artists as “self-taught” This notion about “self-taught” is challenged by some Artists. Their preamble is that since such artists like Tusiime and Katarikawe have been made and lived among Faculty members and the general Art students alumni in Makerere and other art institutions, they have received some form of formal education training in Arts either consciously or unconsciously.  When I tried to bring up this debate during Katarikawes vigil, I was advised by the president of Ugandan Artists association and his Kenyan counterpart, Lady Annabelle (an extremely gifted “self-taught” artist from Kenya) to give credit to self-taught artists and not to mix them in the same bag with formally trained artists.

I therefore apologize If I have mixed Tusiimes art in the same bag with that of academically trained Artists.

IBANDA JOSHUA.

FINE ART.   CULTURE.   MUSIC.  HISTORY

Mr Nsereko Raymond lecturer at Makerere University, and Tusiime mathias Founder and Director UCASDR Handing over an Artwork to Deputy Head of Mission Italian Embassy uganda at her Residance.

Director UCASDR handing over to an Artwork to the Deputy Head of mission Italian Embassy Kampapla

From left is Mr Nsereko Raymond lecturer at Makerere University, member of UCASDR and Tusiime mathias Founder and Director UCASDR Handing over an Artwork to Deputy Head of Mission Italian Italian Embassy in the centre at her residance.
#ITALIANEMBASSYKAMPALA
#LORENZAGAMACORTA

We greatly appreciate #Pietro Averono,#LORENZAGAMACORTA#ITALIANEMBASSYKAMPALA,all the sponsors,ARTISTS,VOLUNTEERS and individuals that helped in making the first ever UCASDR Art Exhibition and Auction dream come true.

The Deputy Head of mission Italian Embassy on behalf of Italian Ambassador and Guest of Honor at the UCASDR exhibition and Auction

welcoming the Italian Embassy Deputy Head of Misson

GUEST OF HONOR’S:
The Embassy of Italy is pleased to support this initiative which encourages visions, capacities, abilities
and arts through visual art and manufactured objects that promote community collaboration and sense
of togetherness.
Italy is a country of culture that promotes arts and beauty.
I wish to all artists and participants a successful and active month of interaction.
Domenico Fornara
Italian Ambassador

welcoming the Italian Embassy Deputy Head of Misson

Speech by Prof. George Kyeyune the Director of the Makerere University Art Gallery

Speech by the Prof.George Kyeyune the Director Makerere University Art Gallery

Add caption

Visitors during the Exhibition and auction

Visitors during the Exhibition and auction

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT:
Uganda community Art skill Development and Recycling (UCASDR) is a program that links Art and
Craft to environmental concerns through recycling skills development and innovation in Uganda.
UCASDR’s vision is to develop and build regional skills development and Innovation centers that will
provide Basic practical skills to unprivileged people in the community.
The UCASDR project major goal is to promote Innovation, Creative skills, Environmental Sustainability
within grass root Communities in Uganda.
It helps to bridge the skills acquisition gaps between higher institutions of learning and the grass root
communities.
UCASDR was registered in 2012 to provide practical skills for Entrepreneurship and works on a
voluntary basis using Art and design as tools for social change, also working as a mobile Vocational
program in order to provide equal opportunities to other communities away from its base providing
skills for social change.
The UCASDR program major goal is to promote Innovation/ Creative skills, Environmental Sustainability,
Rehabilitation and Therapy within Communities in Uganda.
UCASDR helps to bridge the skills acquisition gaps between higher institutions of learning and the grass
root communities.
We greatly appreciate Pietro Averono, all the sponsors and individuals that helped in making the first
ever UCASDR Art Exhibition and Auction dream come true.


We thank the following Artists who donated their works to support the program

FEATURING ARTISTS:
Featuring Artists:
#Tusiime Mathias - UCASDR
#Dr. Rose Kirumira - Makerere University
#Gwoktcho Steven - Makerere University
#Serunkuuma Bruno - Makerere University
#Prof Kwesiga Philip-Makerere University
#Kakinda kizito Fred - Makerere University
#Owendogambi F. - Nommo Gallery uganda
#Dr. Lilian Nabulime - Makerere University
#Wadimba Edward - UVADA
#Dr. Serunjoji Patrick - Makerere University
#Claude Pare - Canada
#Magimbi Aloysius - Ugandan Artist
#Prof. Philip Kwesiga - Makerere University
#Theresa Sauter - German
#Yiga Robert - Ndejje University
#Buzizi Rogers - Ugandan Artist
#Banga Simon - Kyambogo University
#Kanuge J. Bosco - Makerere University
#Sematimba Joseph - Makerere University
#Dr. Mpindi R. Kibudde - Makerere University
#Sekibala Andrew - Ndejje University
#Nsereko J. Raymond - Makerere University
#Makumbi Allan - Makerere University
#Kiiza Ezra - Ugandan Artist
#Tendo Stella - Ugandan Artist
#Mayanja Derick- Uganda ceranist
#Eric        krancevic USA

We thank  volunteers,curator and organizers and Artists who donated the Artworks and Raymond Nsereko for designing ctalogue
#Prof Kwesiga Philip -makerere University organizer
#Prof Iffee X-Makerere University organizer
#Ayebale Juliet -Volunteer
#Nalukenge Shadia-Volunteer
Namakula Madina CEDAT-Makerere University
#Watsala Harrison Davis-Curator of the UCASDR exhibition
we thank Makerere for the space

Director UCASDR Tusiime Mathias showing around partner Prof Andrew Burton from Newcastle University durring UCASDR fundraiser exhibition at Makerere Universirt Art Gallery Kampala

It was a joy to showing around our  partner Prof Andrew Burton from Newcastle University-Uk , during UCASDR fundraiser exhibition at Makerere University Art Gallery Kampala.Thanks Prof Andrew Burton thanks Newcastle University-UK looking forward to have more partnerships and collaborations .
#NewcastleUniversity
#MakerereUniversity
#skillsdevelopment
#Grassrootcommunity
#Africanartcollector
#Africanartgallaries
#eastafrica
#UCASDR
#skillinguganda

Receiving donation in form of Artworks from Mr Bruno Sserunkuma a ugandan Prominet ceramist and a Lecturer at Makerere University to support free skills development in uganda through uganda community art skills development and recycling(UCASDR)

Mr Bruno sserunkuma is Prominet ugandan  ceramist and a Lecturer at  Makerere University