As Artist in Residence at the Foundation’s Art Centre, Kate investigated the death rites of the Bakonjo people who live and work around the Rwenzori mountains which straddle Uganda and the Congo. During this time she interviewed witch doctors, story tellers, cultural leaders and people in the community and gave two artist’s talks, at Rwenzori Founders and at 32 Degrees East, a well-established art centre in Kampala.
As a result of the residency she made two bronze sculptures relating to the investigation, the first called ‘Muramura’ after the local dragon trees of the same name, which were grown on traditional Bakonjo graves in a circle. The second smaller work, depicted trees arranged in a circle cast from a burn-out of a parasitic plant living on the surrounding Kibwebwe acacia trees in the RSF grounds. ‘Muramura’ became part of ‘Reproduction’, the exhibition curated by Kate at the Rainforest Gallery, Uganda House in Trafalgar Square, London where she invited Ugandan and British artists who shared a direct link with Uganda to show with her from 11 July to 5 August 2016.
The project was funded and supported by the Ruwenzori Foundation, British Institute in Eastern Africa, British Council (Uganda) and the Royal Commonwealth Society.
