Kumanyagana | GANZU LUMUMBA AVE (OPP Interservice Tower)
By Brogan Mwesigwa
Kumanyagana, translated from Luganda as “getting to know each other” is a traditional ceremony practiced across a variety of Ugandan cultures in which people from different clans and families come together to get to know each other and share about how to live well together. Mwesigwa’s project draws inspiration from his family’s recent Kumanyagana event and from his cosmopolitan upbringing. It highlights a traditional ceremony through the lens of communal dining in the contemporary, emphasising food’s role in forming social bonds. From organising a Kumanyagana, Mwesigwa’s project climaxes into an installation artwork that visually narrates the communal dining experience.

Brogan Aaron Mwesigwa’s (b.1997, Jinja district, lives and works in Kampala) work explores the history and psychological nuances of material by transforming discarded paper into an amorphous canvas for his stories. His artworks transfigure narratives that explore life in post -colonial Africa through figurative expression, blending his imagination with acute societal observation, to create allegorical compositions that serve as a serene yet profound commentary on reality using charcoal and oil paint on recycled paper.
Mwesigwa displayed an early inherent passion for drawing while growing up which paved the way, leading him to join art school, where he honed his skills of drawing and painting. He is currently under the mentorship of Ian Mwesiga, an accomplishedUgandan artist.
Mwesigwa graduated with a BA in Industrial & Fine Art from Makerere University. He was a Tilga Art Fund 2023, Mukumbya Musoke Art Prize 2020 semi finalist, and he has participated in exhibitions including his first solo in 2021, Art Salon 2021 and the East African Artist Connect 2nd edition 2021.