Birungi Kawooya is an artist establishing a path of representation inspired by the Kiganda dance from Uganda, flash dancing by The Nicholas Brothers, and Hiplet from Homer Bryant. Her art explores movement articulated in a visual narrative through mixed-media collages, silhouettes, and illuminated by African batik textiles. Kawooya’s work celebrates Black womxnhood, and elevates rest, wellness, self-love and care, introspection, and comfort. Nostalgia also contributes to her aesthetics, from memories of drawing ballerinas, to growing up immersed in Ugandan art. In this interview, I spoke to Birungi about the importance of cultural referencing, the incorporation of dance in relation to Black figuration and representation, her creative practice, and her collection; “Sisters Need Sleep”.

NAHUEL CONTRERAS What is your art background? Were you formally trained? BIRUNGI KAWOOYA About 8 years ago I started drawing again, and I taught myself to make paper cuttings that incorporated African textiles as a way to paint. I didn’t make it to art school, even though I have wanted to be an artist since I was a child. NC Tell me more about the creative process of your textile and hand cut paper collages. How did you develop this technique? BK My creative process is driven by images of Black womxn and dancers; they motivate me to create because I find them so incredibly inspirational and beautiful. I collect images and start from there.One day, I happened to have a blunt Stanley knife, card, and African print fabric at home, and I developed my own mixed-media collage technique. NC Your work is embedded in rich and meaningful cultural referencing. Tell me more about the symbolism and significance of the African batik textiles featured in your art. BK I love African print fabric, and I used them heavily in my earlier work, however the origin of some of these fabrics is unclear. There are Dutch and even Indonesian influences in beautifully bright African print fabrics. When I visited my family in Uganda three years ago, I found locally produced batik, which I fell deeply in love with for the vibrancy and quality. NC What is the power of the silhouette? BK The silhouette is striking, and I like using my knife to make exact and dramatic cut-outs. Even though our skin comes in a variety of phenomenal shades, I like to use Black card for my portraits to be inclusive those of us with the darkest and richest skin tones, and to be proud of the term “Black”.
As I spent the majority of 2020 at home, I came to fully embrace my unstyled Afro. I am now more consciously representing the Afro in more natural states in my silhouettes, and I think that’s important for us to see. NC What do you find unique about your position as a Black British artist? BK I think my use of batik in my collages, which can have a sepia quality, gives my work a unique feel. However, there are so many phenomenal artists I admire who also use different mediums in their collages. I feel lucky being London-based because of the proximity to art spaces and other creatives. Curator, Bolanle Tajudeen has opened doors for me and introduced me to fellow Black womxn creatives. I was fortunate enough to attend a phenomenal conference hosted and sponsored by Prof Lubaina Himid, through a network of Black womxn artists looking out for each other. That is sisterhood, and it’s so beautiful. NC Who are your pivotal influences that have propelled your interest in pursuing art and influenced your creative style? BK As a child, I wanted to be a fashion designer and an artist, and I would sketch my collections. I remember seeing Degas’ ballerinas, and ballerinas on TV, and I would draw them too. I would say a pivotal influence in my pursuit of art is the collection of African art in my childhood home, which gave me affirmation that Black artists exist, and Black bodies are visible, and should be celebrated. I make art I love to look at, and I think Black bodies and dancers from the African diaspora are incredible, and I celebrate them in my artwork. These days, I am inspired by Sharon Walters, a prolific paper cut artist who’s doing big things by making incredible collages that also centre Black womxn. NC How do you respond to and engage with cultural narratives of Black womxn in your art? BK I make art for myself to heal as a Black womxn. My body of work largely portrays us being exalted as striking and beautiful Black skinned wonders adorned in heritage cloth. I feature Black dancers because I am proud of our dance styles, and oral history through music and movement. When I see my dance art, I remember those times spent with my loved ones feeling the bass from the speakers in my chest, feeling free and ecstatic, communicating only through dance moves and song. NC In the essays “In Our Glory” and “Homeplace (A Site of Resistance)”, bell hooks discusses the Black home as a place of resistance and renewal, and states the power of possessing Black imagery in our homes, curating a gallery of visual resistance and identity in the spaces where we live. You speak about the importance of immersing our homes with art, and about growing up in a home adorned with art from Uganda. How did this influence you and did it shape your perspective on visual politics? BK Growing up with white Barbies, and the mainstream media promoting unhealthily thin models as the paragon of femininity is damaging, especially to Black children. I am eternally grateful we have art from Uganda, which showed me alternative depictions of Black womanhood, and showed me the majesty of African landscapes. I realised only a couple of years ago, how closely the subjects of my artwork are related to the art I grew up viewing. NC Whilst your ‘Mindful African art workshops’ align with your outlook on acquiring Black art for our homes, you also discuss how they can be utilised to motivate, build self-confidence, and be inspired to access their own potential. This initiative and so much of what you create is personal. How imperative is introspection to your creative process? BK Introspection is incredibly important in my creative process, as my artwork is a record of what I am drawn too and want to see more of; like my acceptance of unstyled Afros on myself, as well as in my art.
Like many people, my mental wellbeing fluctuates, and when I am particularly anxious, I feel inhibited and unable to create freely. Annoyingly enough, this is when I need art the most to get into a mindful flow! I take immense pride in helping those that come to my Mindful African Art classes to practice deep breathing, stop over analysing, and to start drawing. They soon concentrate on what they are doing and the anxieties of not feeling good enough soon diminish as they take action in the present. This is also why I started teaching young people my technique, so that they have a positive image of themselves that is a visual reminder of what they can achieve when they overcome negative self-talk. NC Many Black artists feel the pressure to assimilate into the existing museum-industrial complex in order to achieve success. What do you think the art world can do to become more inclusive? BK I haven’t been to art school, so I forge relationships with artists and curators by myself. The institution needs to make greater efforts to create access for those lacking the formal links. NC As an artist, how do you reflect your personal perception of socio-political issues? Would you say your work is a social commentary? BK I make art to heal myself and Black womxn from the assault of the white supremacist more recently capitalist ideology. I am developing a collection, which is in defiance of our capitalist rise and grind culture called, “Sisters Need Sleep”. Black womxn are overworked, underpaid, traumatised, and gaslit, and yet we are leading radical movements to benefit everybody, but are we taking care of ourselves? What example does that set for the next generation? I encourage Black womxn to rest so that they can better imagine a more liberated future. I want Black womxn to see themselves celebrated for taking care of themselves, and to approach the work of revolutionary rebuilding from a sustainable place. NC Throughout your art you unveil many facets of Black joy through movement. The physicality of “Hiplet Ballerinas”, “Kiganda Dancers”, and “The Dancing Couple” not only encompass dance, but celebrate the beauty and humanity of the individual; their joy, happiness, care, wellness, offering a refreshing perspective on Black experiences in art. What dance movements inspire you in relation to Black figuration and representation, and where did it begin? BK I would say my fascination with dance began in the home. My older sisters always impressed me with their amazing dance moves and routines. I love watching RnB and hip-hop video choreography, and more recently young afrobeat dance groups like Triplets Ghetto Kids. As we know, dance talent from the African diaspora dance is limitless and I find dancers so inspirational. When I came across the Hiplet ballerinas, I was awestruck. To be classically trained ballerinas, dancing en pointe whilst incorporating hip-hop and salsa inspired moves is ingenious, and I love to celebrate them. NC I understand that nature is also an important theme in your work. For your Josephine Baker series, you incorporated banana leaves, a nod to her iconic banana skirt. Is your use of nature mood manifested? What importance does it hold? BK I love nature, and trees soothe and refresh me. The sound of the leaves rustling (psithurism (my new favourite word)) is my favourite sound, and banana leaves are so beautiful! Ugandans love to eat a steamed green banana, called matooke, and it’s steamed in its own leaves. I liked that Josephine Baker was able to exploit the jungle trope, and proudly use her African heritage and bananas as part of her performance. NC What do you have planned for the future? BK Right now, I am focusing on the “Sisters Need Sleep” collection, and also making more ballet pieces inspired by the sensational Ballet Black. I plan to make a hair collection showing our hair in exciting artistic styles. I also have plans to make a samba, Nicholas Brothers and Afro beats dance collections.
I am looking for a studio because I want to create larger than life portraits and celebrate Black womxnhood in a bolder way. I am also in talks to help a school diversify their art curriculum.