A Space for Resistance and Renewal
Birungi Kawooya, A Space for Resistance and Renewal, 2024
A Space for Resistance and Renewal is a trio of bark cloth structures that provide a gathering place for rest, repair and resistance. As a self-taught artist, Kawooya came to fibre artistry as a healing practice. Here, she can imagine being liberated from the interlocking forces of systemic racism, capitalism, sexism and ableism.
The artist has chosen regenerative materials traditionally used in Ugandan art; olubugo (bark cloth), banana fibre, raffia and Brixton-grown bamboo. When harvesting bark cloth, artisans wrap the omutuba tree with banana leaf once the bark is removed, which allows the tree to repair and be harvested in future rainy seasons.
The designs feature shield motifs from the Kingdom of Buganda, symbolising protection, and the earthenware pots which tether the structures are filled with plants known for their therapeutic properties.
BSL interpretation for this work is available via this link
Birungi Kawooya
Birungi Kawooya is an artist and researcher dedicated to exploring community well-being inspired by nature, Black feminisms and the Afro somatic movement. She is developing a programme for Black womxn to support collective trauma resolution and wellbeing through a multi-disciplinary participatory arts programme connecting them to protective African artefacts, healing dance, sound and Afro-somatic practices.
With the support of Njabala Foundation, 32° East and the Arts Council England, Birungi explored natural fibres during her 5-month residency in Uganda 2022-23. Most recently she has collaborated with Rebecca Khamala to co-produce “Cultivating Rhythms of Care” for KLA Art ’24 Festival in Uganda with the support of the Makerere Institute of Social Research.