ARTS

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | First there was Tutu, the “African Mona Lisa” sold last year for 1.5 million dollars. Then a second portrait by revered Nigerian painter Ben Enwonwu, called Christine, sold in mid-October, for 1.4 million dollars. Both record sales of famous works by the late “father of African …

Confronting the complex and delicate with sarcasm and self-portraiture | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | As a social-political commentator, Ugandan artist Paul Ndema exploits adversity to provoke intense dialogue and criticism of the socio-political injustices. In his latest series, he delves into the delicate and complex issues of religion, sexuality and cultural …

She challenged norms of traditional male-dominated art making THE INDEPENDENT | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | Anyone who has seen `The Stride, 2007’, the monument in the space between the parliament building and the Serena International Conference Centre in Kampala city, or the Kabamba Millitary Monument and the `Building the Nation’ monument …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Dr Hamza Sebunya yesterday took a first step to wedding Ugandan musician  Rema Namakula, by visiting her parents in a traditional ceremony called ‘Kukyala’.  Looking elegant, she shared photographs on Facebook of the joyful occasion held on Uganda’s Independence Day, at her parent’s home in …

Artist turns childhood affection into a challenge for me and you | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | Farid Mahfudh loves birds. He cares for birds; lovingly cuddling them and nursing them if they accidently wander into his studio. He helps them to freedom in the open skies. Born in Masaka town, Farid …

Moscow, Russia | AFP |  Dozens of youngsters from Russia’s Youth Army have been getting up close and personal with perhaps the world’s most iconic firearm as their country prepares to mark the centenary of the birth of Mikhail Kalashnikov, maker of the legendary rifle. Children from the roughly half a …

New York, United States | AFP | Director Martin Scorsese unveiled his new film “The Irishman” Friday, kicking off the New York film festival with the ambitious Netflix movie that was more than a decade in the making. The star-studded gangster epic had a budget of $160 million, using 117 different …

Overturning perception of art as elitist Kampala, Uganda | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | In any part of the world today, in any art gallery or museum of contemporary art, it is no longer unusual to encounter a black and white or coloured photo image sedately sitting behind a glass frame or …

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ugandan delegation at the East African Community Arts and Culture Festival JAMAFEST put up a thrilling show of cultural dances on the first day of the regional fair taking place in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. It’s the fourth time …

Halle (Saale), Germany | AFP | An enduring reminder of the communist era, the vast, concrete “Plattenbau” tower blocks that surround cities in eastern Germany are usually considered eyesores rather than works of art. Yet, a new urban culture project in the city of Halle, 170 kilometres (around 100 miles) southwest …