James Kitamirike's works
appears to focus on the traditional lifestyles of East Africans. The
works are commonly taken to celebrate, perhaps even idealize, specific
peoples within the region. They were seen to provide direct if romanticized
documentation of lifestyles that are fast disappearing. This presumption,
while seemingly valid, supports a fundamental misinterpretation of Kitamirike's
work. It overlooks a key dimension which the artist incorporates in
his works: cultural non-favoritism.
Observers with an understanding
of the mosaic of cultures in East Africa recognize that cultural elements
depicted in Kitamirike’s works converge in a completely new way. Instead
of straight-forward, literal representation, Kitamirike assembles a
new vision for East Africa’s cultural legacy.
Question of which East
African peoples appear in Kitamirike’s paintings reveal surprising insights
about regional change and cultural swapping.
