Paper short abstract:

This paper addresses art and craft classifications in Uganda through bark-cloth’s cultural biography by examining artist Fred Mutebi in Kampala, juxtaposed against bark-cloth makers in rural Kibinge, discussing their work in terms of the ‘idea’ of art since Buganda Kingdom was re-instated in 1993.

Paper long abstract:

The binaries of art and craft, rural and urban, artist and artisan have been widely debated, with scholars such as George Kyeyune (2003, 42) arguing that these categories reflect the British colonial legacy in Uganda. Such perspectives have not adequately addressed issues surrounding art production, and the 'idea' of art in local mediation and reception of art objects, rather limiting themselves to education, tourism, and trade. This paper addresses art practice and circulation with special attention to the cultural biography of bark-cloth in order to reveal its historical significance. Specifically, I examine the works of artist Fred Mutebi who keeps a studio in Kampala, Uganda's capital, juxtaposing it against that of the community group of bark cloth farmers and makers (abakomazi) that he initiated in Kibinge, discussing their work in terms of the 'idea' of art, bark-cloth traditions and innovations, in light of cultural changes in society since the re-instating of Buganda's King (Kabaka) in 1993. I argue that the notion of classification separates objects from their histories because of the way it foregrounds hierarchy while ignoring the unstable nature of place, meaning, and technique as revealed in art practice and reception. By closely examining the notional lines between art and craft and how they are produced, this paper sheds new light on the rarely acknowledged complexity and contradictions surrounding bark-cloth as an art form.