“EPEYONON” The Home comer

Let me introduce you to “EPEYONON: ‘The Home comer’ an Exhibition that explores the intersection of modernity and cultural heritage in Karamoja, delving into the impact on identity, questioning its nuances, and examining the role of contemporary art in this dynamic. This pop-up exhibition is the first ever at my independent art studio (Kiggundu Art Studio) and climaxes a three-month collaborative project by artists (Evans Akanyijuka, Kiggundu Rodney and Murungi Kevin) joined by over 16 carefully selected participants from different disciplines across Uganda. The project is part of a Collaborative project grants by Braid Fund under Trust For Indigenous Culture and Health supported by British Council. 

Late last year in October we made a call for participants to join us on this amazing collaborative project that sought to demystify the notion that culture and traditional norms hinder progress when adopting modern practices. This project sought to emphasize the pivotal role of modern art practices as catalysts for preserving and promoting cultural heritage but also pose questions as to what modernity really is using an in-depth Case Study of the Karamojong culture in Uganda. 16 participants were carefully selected from various disciplines like Visual Art, Fashion, Film Directing among others. Together with the selected participants, we delved into a range of workshops like Photography and storytelling workshop, visual art workshop, tie and dye workshop, podcasting workshop, digital art workshop were we created motifs, designs and story telling arcs as we explored deeply Karamoja’s rich tapestry often under looked and misrepresented. All these were curated under the contemporary lens of modern day art to create a discourse of what modernity really is in relation to the theme of the project which is Cultural Modernity and its influence on Cultural Heritage Protection.

Therefore “Epeyonon”  takes you on a journey of experimental artworks with motifs and designs carried from the workshops that juxtapose modern art practices with cultural preservation. Through a fictional narrative of a home comer’s return to Karamoja, artists and some participants from the workshops hailing from diverse regions across the country pose questions about how modernity shapes understanding, prompts new inquiries, and offers perspectives on growth and identity. This exhibition serves as a platform for artists and some participants to weave their understanding of modernity into Karamoja’s cultural tapestry, creating dialogues that redefine the concept in contemporary times and reconcile their own connection to home.

Curated by: Ethel Aanyu

Participants: Atukwase Margaret, Nangobi Nancy, Ogwado Joachim, Ntare Edwin, Benjamin Mbula, Kirabo Trinity, Ethel Aanyu, Kagina Ishack, Katongole Nathan Henry, Ssentumbwe Adam

Exhibiting Artists: Evans Akanyijuka, Kiggundu Rodney, Murungi Kevin, Benjamin Mbula, Conrad Nkamwesiga, Joachim Ogwado, Ntare Edwin, Adam Ssentumbwe and Nsimbe Grace  

Opening Date: Saturday 6th January 2024 at Mid-day up to 9pm (will run for one month until 14th February 2024.)

Venue: Kiggundu Art Studio in Ndejje Kanyanya  

You can click on the link below to register your attendance.

https://bit.ly/48v4VjL