Uganda

Ben Bukenya

A brief interview with Ugandan Artist, Ben Bukenya

_{You indicate that you are a sculptor, graphic artist, and web designer}_{- what about each medium do you enjoy? What are the challenges of each medium?}
_{Yes I am a Graphic and Web Designer by innovation, but a sculptor by tradition. I take the challenges of modernity through computer aided graphic design which I use to harness my web platforms. For sculpture or painting I feel am there without boundaries and I just take my time.}

_{Your work has a lot of movement and action, particularly the sculpture on the home page of your AfricanColours portfolio. Can you talk specifically about this piece?}
_{The piece is about Strength Vs Wisdom. It’s a wood + metal piece. I used mugavu for my wood, and integrated it with steel, copper and brass. I carved the wood, bolted and welded the steel, then brazed copper and brass over the steel. I smoked, filed and polished the metals to render a finish to the piece. Below is my description of this very piece, it is in form of an interview, call it narrative.}

_{Before us is a concept of true life, "Survival for the fittest!”}
_{It tends to be a defiant ruling to many of us in day-to-day life.}
_{I conducted a shot “interview” between two ends}
_{Wampologoma (Mr. Lion) and Wakibe (Mr. Fox)}

_QUESTION:
_{It seems to be a ruthless situation out there,}
_{How do you live this cut-throat world your majesty?}
_ANSWER:
_{Wampologoma; as king of the jungle,}
_{And a speed merchant}
_{The only means to my promised catch}
_{Is to discharge physical duty unconsciously.}_QUESTION:
_{You look to be a rather lazy boy, how do you manage brother?}
_ANSWER:
_{Wakibe; wisdom is the key,}
_{Hiding my head in the earth,}
_{Smartly with a keen eye}
_{The only trick to my un promised catch.}_CONCLUSION:
_{Live strong like a lion}
_{Live wise like a fox}
_{Do you have to be a coward to live longer?}

_{Do you create work for yourself or others? Meaning do you base it only on your own taste or the taste of past or future customers?}
_{For graphics, I create solutions to the needs of my clients. I normally take an appeal before I deliver. I keep reference of the past and take prospect of the future. Here I score by satisfying my audience. For sculpture I don’t care, be it who, what, when or how.}

_{How do you describe your creative inspiration?}
_{As a contemporary sculptor, my work lies in the core confidence of compassion and durability. From this focal point I work towards depicting order out of chaos.}
_{I draw inspirations from situations around me and describe them as Affection or Disgust. I begin by recording a situation, and then constantly work on the armature over a period of time that builds the link between past and present. The point of departure is the revision of my records, dreams and reviews.}

_{How did you develop your unique aesthetic language?}
_{It’s a long journey. It was through: regeneration, inspiration, aspiration, education, experimentation, exploration, occupation, collaboration and communication. My tolerance to nurturing the creative process activates the movement in my work.}

_{How has your work evolved over the years?}
_{It has been a shift from inert to kinetic state of affairs.}

_{From my early moldings of fresh termite earth to apprentice crafts of my early teens.}
_{Then the youthful, quick woodcarvings of the early 1990s to undergraduate course work of the late 1990s.}
_{From early studio explorations to more complex, time vested to current practice pieces.}

_{Describe your art training? Did you study formally or are you self-taught?}
_{I have passed through both modes of training. First informally as an apprentice at a college studio this was a rather slow process but pretty vital in the build up of my career. Second, formally through Makerere University I was exposed to new disciplines such as graphic design, painting, sculpture and the like. Courses in art history, art appreciation, presentation, communication design and drawing improved my ability. Third, informally again, this was through hands on training, exchange workshops, symposia and networking programs. These opened up wider opportunities for self-development through experimentation and sharing working practices. Each of them was like perusing a university degree.}

_{How do you balance commerce with creation?}
_{I do believe in proficiency. My contention is that when you do good work the money will come.}

_{What are the challenges and benefits of being an artist? In Uganda?}
_{In Africa?}
_{In Uganda there is very little local appreciation of the fine arts, and this kills the motivation of most of the upcoming artists and draws a negative impact onto their works. However nature provides a lot for a Uganda artist and Africa at large.}

_{Your thoughts on creating a viable art market through the Internet?}
_{A brilliant idea; with modernity and innovation of the global world it just fits. But artists need be empowered with the network applications and trust driven on the process. Otherwise most artists here wish to be paid yesterday for their today creations.}

_{Is contemporary art encouraged in Uganda? Africa?}
_{A few art schools are teaching contemporary art in Uganda and many are coming up all over Africa. Contemporary Art centers, Studios and institutions are developing as well in addition to workshops taking course in different African countries for a common cause. So Contemporary art in Uganda and Africa at large is not only encouraged but it exists.}

_{Where do you stand on contemporary v. 'traditional' art in Africa?}
_{I Stand for Contemporary Art.}

_{Is art for art sake an African or Western philosophy? Does it matter?}
_{It is both African and Western depending on the definition art in each context. It matters anyway.}

_{Have you made your best work yet?}
_{When I made Strength vs Wisdom believe me it was my best, but now I think another one is coming. But before I have it done I cannot count it.}