Makerere’s food basket

DENNIS D. MUHUMUZA

A Ugandan blogger once complained about the weathered sculptures and other artistic pieces that litter the Makerere University Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts courtyard. Visiting there, you honestly wonder why they cannot be spruced up or new ones added to give a fresh look to the surrounding.

It’s not clear if Vincent Kaganda read her blog entry but the 22-year-old third year student of fine art recently invented something he said he would be remembered for, and that would probably inspire future students to take the step too. His invention is a life-size sculpture he put up just opposite the Art Library. Titled “Food Basket”; the sculpture depicts a happy mother holding a basket of fruits.

“Every mother is happiest when she knows she has something to feed her family,” he said with a smile. “She’s holding a basketful of fruits which are a source of vitamins and other nutritious values.” The basket is actually a kisaniya (shallow pan) like the one the roadside chips dealer uses to fry his chips, which the sculptor bought from Kisenyi and welded onto his invention while the said fruits are also metal scraps also welded onto the kisaniya.

“I used scrap metal to show that discarded materials or waste can be useful too,” said Kiganda.” What strikes you most about his work is the smile; very broad, truly motherly and so heart-warming to look at. “Many artists put emphasis on the agony but I chose to capture a big, warm smile symbolising a mother’s love, and to reflect the theme of my sculpture – Happy Mood,” he said.

Under the supervision of Dr George Kyeyune, who is Dean at the School of Industrial and Fine Arts, and Dr Lillian Nabulime, one of Uganda’s acclaimed sculptors, it took Kiganda a fortnight to complete his captivating creation.

He made his armature (the framework that supports a sculpture while it’s being moulded) with metal and iron bars, upon which he added cement which is water resistant and would make his work last.

“Food Basket” is the more colourful because she’s wearing a delightfully greenish dress used by her creator to harmonise with the green grass and the flowery environment.

“Many related sculptures I’ve seen are plain and I decided to introduce the element of colour because I’m also a painter that is used to colours,” said Kiganda. “I also mixed oxide of many colours to get that coffee brown colour of her skin.”

The result of his ingenuity is a three-dimensional (meaning you can walk around it) semi-realistic figure in whom I seemed to recognise the cheerful woman; the avocado seller at the nearby market!

Also a creative art designer and a painter that lives by the slogan “Creativity talks”, Kiganda scored 85 percent for his project and will be remembered for making the area in front of Makerere University Fine Art Library very attractive.

--Sunday Monitor, November 30, 2008