I was recently featured in Anna Adima’s beautifully written article in Contemporaryand magazine on Kampala’s rising art scene. Her exerps gave some in sight into some work I undertook last year when I was awarded time and space to respond to the KLA Art festival theme of "Care Instructions".
Additionally I was awarded a grant from Makerere University to strengthening feminist and decolonial knowledge production in social research with Rebecca Khamala, an incredible artist, designer and together we curated…
Cultivating Rhythms of Care
Cultivating Rhythms of Care is a biophilic installation curated to reflect on the monthly menstrual cycle in relationship to the seasons in nature, supported by a soundscape. It is ordered in three layers that follow the concentric form of the library pavillion. It comprises a woven wall that encloses the space, a veil partition that guides movement through the space, a food and plant display along with questions to initiate conversations and knowledge on local foods, what we learn from the song story of Njabala, and how we can care for our bodies throughout the menstrual cycle.
Rebecca weaves an envelope with 100% unwaxed cotton yarn, a variety of plants and plantfibers (including papyrus, shredded papyrus (obukeedo by'otutoogo), trimmed papyrus plants, palm leaves (nsansa), enjulu, trimmed bamboo plants, and dry bamboo leaves) in a continuous loom created with the library pavillion columns. She orders these plants and fibers to create movements that express the essence of the seasons as observed in cultivation, in the menstrual cycle, and in the day as captured in the soundscape.
I work with banana fiber on clay-dyed bark cloth to depict a crescent moon — that speaks to the link of the menstrual cycle to the movement of the moon —and "Njabala" sleeping during her menstrual period, surrounded by a variety of nutritious organic food. She also creates through an experimental weaving of braided sisal rope, raffia and bark cloth, expressions of the rains and their disrupted patterns, the sun rising through the day, the lushness of growing yam and potatoes, and finally the sun setting.
🌿 Call to Action
Are you an arts commissioner, researcher, or sociologist passionate about exploring the intersection of ecology, well-being, and African wisdom to shape equitable futures? We invite you to join us in expanding the dialogue around Cultivating Rhythms of Care.
We’re seeking collaborators to:
✨ Fund further research into the interplay of traditional ecological wisdom and well-being.
✨ Explore how African feminist and decolonial perspectives support sustainable futures.
✨ Bring this installation or its ethos to new spaces, festivals, or institutions worldwide.
🌙 Let’s start the conversation! Reach out to explore funding, collaboration, or hosting opportunities.
