Before the Epeyonon Exhibition currently running at Kiggundu Art Studio, I sat down with Evans Akanyijuka a budding Visual Artist, Digital artist and Photographer from Uganda to decode some of the ideas and learning logs from our collaborative project. This 3 Months Collaborative project together with this special episode has been supported by British Council, Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH) under their fund called the Braid Fund.

The Collaborative project that started in October 2023 was spearheaded by Evans Akanyijuka, Myself and Kevin Murungi and was themed Cultural Modernity and Its influence on Cultural Heritage protection looking at Karamoja region as a case study. Karamoja is a region in North Eastern Uganda Known for predominantly practicing nomadic pastoralism as well as a rich tapestry of tangible and intangible heritage. Karamoja extends to over 9 districts of Uganda.

The project dived into over 6 workshops (Screen Printing, Tie and Dye, Photography, Digital Art, Visual Art, Podcasting) as we explored the impact of modern art practices and their impact on cultural heritage protection with over 12 participants coming on board to ideate, share knowledge, experiment their art forms with this theme and build concepts which culminated into the Epeyonon exhibition at the end.

EPEYONON: The Homecomer explores the intersection of modernity and cultural heritage in Karamoja, delving into the impact on identity, questioning its nuances, and examining the role of contemporary art in this dynamic. The exhibition features experimental artworks that juxtapose modern art practices with cultural preservation. Through a fictional narrative of a home comer's return to Karamoja, artists from diverse regions pose questions about how modernity shapes understanding, prompts new inquiries, and offers perspectives on growth and identity. The exhibition serves as a platform for artists to weave modernity into Karamoja's cultural tapestry, creating dialogues that redefine the concept in contemporary times and reconcile their connection to home.

Enjoy the Conversation

Takeaways from our Collaborative Project - Decoding the concept of Modernity