Colourful and bold textures on canvas at Tuula Tuwaye exhibition

The exhibition is a metaphor to the power that lies in dialogue as a tool for sharing, learning and discovering who we’re and what exists in our immediate surrounding.

ARTS | DOMINIC MUWANUZI | Conversation is an integral component of human existence and behaviour. Through it, humans are able to commune, learn, share and discover or rediscover what exists in their surroundings. Tuula Tuwaye, a solo show by multimedia artist Herbert Kalule, explores this concept of conversation where, through visual imagery, he delves into the powerful meaning of sitting down or gathering to comment on ongoing issues affecting humanity. Incidentally, the concept of Tuula Tuwaye is rooted in Buganda culture, where traditionally people came from different households and sat together to share ideas or find solutions to the communities’ challenges or triumphs. In this, the concept celebrated the idea of communal living while underscoring human relationships as a cornerstone for social development.

The artist relies on his signature style of expressive and bold colours to capture the different moods and feelings of his caricature-like figures on canvas. He juxtaposes this palette with the different body expressions to portray the varied emotions involved when people get involved in conversations. “When people are having conversations, they usually express different emotions, and this can be through their body movement, eye stares or simply silence,” says the artist. In several paintings, the artist applies red acrylics on the lips of the figures to illustrate the act of talking, while on the other hand, he paints the figures with expressive stares that evoke feelings of amusement, confusion, curiosity and affection. From a critical perspective, most of the figures deployed on canvas are women, which symbolizes the role played by women in society as social activists. Traditionally, women are known to be at the forefront of many of society’s social activities, like weddings, market days and gardening, where such conversations on day-to-day life experiences usually take place.

An installation of old newspapers glued on the floor alongside a TV set and radio placed adjacent to one another with two chairs in one room reverberates the concept of the exhibition where this setting becomes another podium to navigate the idea of stimulating dialogue. “Often times when we read newspapers, listen to the radio or watch television, we’re provoked to say something in response to what we have read, heard or seen. It can be just one statement or image that sparks different conversations among family members of friends,” the artist explains. Here, these objects cease to be only sources of information but tools that promote the idea of togetherness whereby, through sharing the information conveyed through these channels, close bonds are established between people of different backgrounds and divergent life experiences.

In this exhibition, the moral lesson is to perceive dialogue as therapy for life’s challenges, regardless of ones’ social background, gender and age. As rightly put in the curatorial note, “Tuula Tuwaye is an antidote to isolation. The artist reminds us that in times of uncertainty, talking to one another is paramount. The goal of coming together does not always have to be about finding immediate answers or offering rigid advice. Often, the true remedy lies simply in the space, the comfort of company, the validation of being heard, and the reassurance that we are not navigating the chaos alone.”

Therefore, Tuula Tuwaye, through the artist’s deployment of colourful and bold textures on canvas triggers our minds to pause and reflect on the meaning of dialogue in our daily lives. Often times, through conversation the burden of our troubles veiled by silence is lifted off our shoulders, and we become fresh with new prospects and ideas of life. More so, this exhibition is timely, especially in these times where people are fast embracing isolation rather than community. It is through coming together that humanity can sustainably find solutions and progress in a world filled with an avalanche of problems.

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The exhibition is showing now at Umoja Art Gallery, located on plot 1800 Bukoto, Moyo Close, along Mukalazi Road, behind Princess Kevina Apartments, Kampala. Images courtesy of Umoja Art Gallery.