FUTURE – Fly Birungi, fly!
Medium: Bark cloth, banana fibres, wax pastel and raffia
Size: 2.5 x 1.3 m
Year: 2023
On a black lubugo canvas, my future self is upright and strong. The multiplicity shown in her stance; she is dancing, holding a spear, a shield and possibly levitating as the expanse of black lubugo reflects the myriad of choices and modes of being open to her. The spear reads “RESISTANCE”. I hold a shield, it no longer covers me. I have my back to the viewer as I move towards a fully grown banana tree whose three leaves are full and torn. The banana tree is fruiting.
@thenapministry tells us that rest is resistance. I choose to acknowledge and divest from the fear ingrained in me as a human being socialised as disabled working class African woman from South London. These classifications are used to terrorise me and to suppress what my body and spirit knows to be true. That I am divine. I am enough. We all are. When I'm well rested, I'm imaginative and I love to help others dream outloud. It's really special. And when we're together, living out our dreams, we free ourselves.
How are you freeing yourself today?
You can view my past, present and future self portraits at Makerere University Gallery, thanks to the Njabala Foundation @sights_of_resistance exhibition “Holding Space”
Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm and Saturday 10am – 4pm until Saturday 8 April
Thank you to 32° East Ugandan Arts Trust, Arts Council England, Moleskine Foundation, Akka Project, Linda Umutesi and FG Foundation.
