Ahmed Didaati
A new exhibition in Kampala is challenging long-held assumptions about who gets to be recognised as an artist, bringing renewed attention to the role of self-taught practitioners in Uganda’s contemporary art scene.
Against the Norm, currently showing at AKA Gallery on Bukoto Street, presents the work of Ugandan artists Kitimbo Ibrahim and Kintu Paul, whose careers have been built outside formal art schools. Through two distinct artistic practices, the exhibition explores whether creativity and artistic excellence should be measured by academic credentials or by the originality and impact of the work itself.
At a time when Uganda’s creative sector is expanding through independent galleries, artist run spaces and community initiatives, the exhibition raises broader questions about access, opportunity and recognition within the country’s visual arts landscape.
The exhibition argues that while formal institutions have historically provided artists with technical training, professional networks and critical theory, some of the most innovative artistic practices emerge through observation, experimentation and lived experience.
Kitimbo Ibrahim’s work centres on a technique he calls Flowing Water, developed after an accidental discovery during his artistic practice. Rather than applying paint directly onto canvas, he pours pigments onto water before lowering the canvas beneath the surface, allowing gravity, movement and chance to influence the final composition.
The resulting paintings depict scenes of everyday life in Kampala, including bustling streets, informal markets, taxi parks and urban neighbourhoods. Rather than documenting the city literally, the works seek to capture its movement, atmosphere and emotional character.
In contrast, Kintu Paul’s paintings draw from childhood memories, nature and imagination.
Working primarily in acrylic, he creates colourful compositions populated by stylised human figures surrounded by floral forms inspired by the landscapes of his youth. His paintings explore themes of identity, hope and human potential while reflecting on the experiences that shaped his artistic journey.
Kintu, who won the Marabit Art Challenge organised by Sadolin Paints in 2011, has exhibited his work both in Uganda and internationally.
Although their artistic approaches differ, the exhibition presents both artists as examples of how creative practice can develop beyond formal education.
Its accompanying curatorial text argues that self-taught artists often possess greater freedom to experiment because they are not constrained by established academic traditions or expectations.
Rather than rejecting formal education, Against the Norm invites audiences to reconsider how artistic value is defined and whether institutional training should remain the primary measure of artistic legitimacy.
The exhibition also reflects broader changes within Uganda’s contemporary art sector, where alternative exhibition spaces are increasingly supporting artists from diverse educational and professional backgrounds.
As debates about inclusion and representation continue across the global art world, Against the Norm positions self-taught artists not as outsiders, but as contributors whose experiences and creative approaches are helping shape the future of Ugandan contemporary art. 
The exhibition is showing at AKA Gallery in Kampala.
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