A cascade of self discovery and the unconventional

Ibra Kitimbo’s technique “Flowing Water” exposes how the artist is intent on self discovery and stepping outside the proverbial box on canvas

ART | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | Artists are never short of surprises, especially if they’re the underrated type. When Ibra Kitimbo recently sent me his catalogue of paintings to choose from in preparation for a group show I am working on, I was suddenly taken aback by what I saw. I have known the artist for many years and love the fact that he has been consistent in an industry that is continuously evolving, but none of that prepared me for what I was actually seeing with my discerning eye for good art.  Kitimbo’s catalogue of 15 paintings created in his signature technique of “Flowing Water” made my heart flutter with excitement and joy; I could not resist the temptation of looking at them every single minute. His delicate interplay of vibrant and monochromatic hues on canvas, coupled with the abstract expressionist style within which his compositions emerge, effuses a particular aura of serenity and beauty that never bores the viewer’s gaze.

It is largely through his creative freedom that the artist is able to successfully achieve this attribute in his paintings. Kitimbo is not a formally trained artist but is self-taught with years of experimentation and innovation that lend a distinct uniqueness to his art.  His technique of flowing water that critics describe as “intimate” and “expressive” was born through a series of experiments where the artist embarked on a journey of experimenting with the effect of pouring paint onto water and thereafter dipping canvas into the floating pigment to capture their intricate formation. The result was a delicate, organic movement on canvas that filled the art with warmth, spontaneity and fantasy. These qualities are visible in City Floods 2025, Village Vendors 2025 and Juice Extractors 2025 where figures appear indistinctively against a warm palette of ocean blue, yellow and green. And yet there’s an undeniable nuanced “rebellion” in how the artist applies colour on canvas that gives the paintings a chaotic character. This characteristic is evocative of his informal background in art where formality in colour application is flouted to give way to a disrupted colour scheme that breathes a new energy into the art.

The energy that the artist exudes on canvas embodies a silent but steady quest for self-discovery. By stepping outside the proverbial box, the artist affords himself the opportunity to discover himself more and express himself better through his art. Kitimbo, a rather introverted and soft-spoken personality, has spent years refining his singular technique on canvas, where many artists would have already jumped ship or gone under the radar, especially with the hardships that are known to bedevil the Ugandan art scene. This resolute stance and perseverance is a window into how the artist perceives art: not solely as a means of survival but as a tool he uses to be in touch with his inner self deeply. In fact, for someone like me who first saw him decades ago, I can proudly say he has evolved both in person and artistically. When we met a few months ago, after not being in touch for a while, I instantly observed an air of confidence in the way he spoke about his art and himself. He was articulate, emphatic and bold, but not arrogant or pretentious. These traits exposed something about him as an artist: that he knew exactly what he wanted and was determined to go after it. Oftentimes, such body language is critical in the way the artist brands themselves because, naturally, first impressions matter in self marketing and promotion.

Kitimbo has crossed boundaries few artists of his background are able to cross often because of their inferiority complex in an industry that many describe as exclusive and purely elitist. Yet the artist uses this inadequacy as a motivation for self-discovery, where he delves into his inner self to muster the courage to produce art that is not only good to see but is thought-provoking.  In this, we learn that sometimes success belongs to those who are persistent and consistent, and talent alone may never be enough.

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The artist will be showing an excerpt of his recent works in a group show coming up next month at AKA Gallery. All images are courtesy of the artist.