Artists Acaye Kerunen and Collin Sekajugo represent Uganda’s inaugural pavilion at the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia through November 27. The exhibition is curated by Shaheen Merali, and commissioned by Juliana Akoryo Naumo. Kerunen, inspired by the important work of Uganda’s local craftswomen, deconstructs utilitarian materials and artisan crafts, giving new meaning to the power of women’s work in Africa. Sekajugo’s theatrical sensibility examines pop culture and the global mainstream, viewing the biases and entitlements of stock imagery through an African lens.
Said curator Merali, “We are looking forward to presenting the works of Ms. Kerunen and Mr. Sekajugo, whose dual approaches to art making, while diverse in their respective aesthetic approach, finds a common ground in their respective imaginations on materiality and form. ‘Radiance – They Dream in Time’ refers to the essential knowledge and lived experiences of Kerunen and Sekajugo in speaking to the many different territories of Uganda, as well as to urban trade and living conditions in its urban centers. Both artists have been actively working with formal and informal archives of Uganda’s dynamic visual culture.”
