Free at Last
by Ivor Samuel Mubiru
2021, Watercolour paint, marker, pen, and pencil, 11.7” x 16.5”
A black and white illustration of a galaxy with small black stars, and clusters of planets marked by small dots. The galaxy flows across the entire page. Orbs that resemble planets in different colours are placed sporadically across the galaxy. There are pastel purple, pink, yellow, blue and green planets. Some of the planets have thin, black rings around them. Some have a singular ring, while others have up to seven. A stream made of many thin black, wavy lines and thicker black round fluid shapes waves across the page from the top left corner to the right, down to the bottom of the page. The stream looks like it is coming from a white circle with a thick black outline centred in the bottom quarter of the frame. Within the stream, which is illustrated with bold, black wavy lines, are black birds in the shape of doves.
In the centre of the drawing are two dancing figures. The figures are illustrated in black and in an abstract manner, made of overlapping organic shapes. When the two figures intersect each other, elements of their bodies (such as legs, arms, and hands) are illustrated in pastel yellow, purple, and pink.
An illustration of abstract dancing figures within a galaxy.
“This piece simply represents the beauty in dance in our Ugandan culture. Dancing has been used in so many different tribes and societies during different ceremonies. This could be birth, death, rain, prayer, entertainment for traditional chiefs, marriage ceremonies etc. Dance has become part of our stories as much as language and it’s something we are taught in Ugandan primary and secondary schools growing up, in both stories and performance – Us all freely and happily dancing as the birds fly around.”
Malayika
2021, Watercolour paint, marker, pen, and pencil, 11.7” x 16.5”
In this illustration, a black figure is centred and the main focus, as they sit in a meditative and prayer-like pose. The figure wears a light brown bandeau and skirt, black hoop earrings, a golden crown with the word “Malika,” a white peace-sign necklace, three white shell necklaces, three white shell armbands three white shell body chains around their waist. Sitting with their legs crossed, the figure’s long arms extend above them, and their hands are put together, reaching to the sky. Above the figure’s hands is a bright yellow orb. The orb streams black and yellow rays of light that flow around the figure in an oval shape. Within the rays of light are two large fish. On the right is a blue fish with long fins, with its head and body pointing downward. On the left is an identical green fish, with its head and body pointing upward. The fish on the left has “ABAANA N’ABAZZUKULU” written across it. The green fish has “OMUZIRO MMAMBA” written across it.
On the bottom of the illustration and surrounding the figure is sea-like imagery, with illustrations of colourful blue, green, and purple pebbles, and brown-orange coral, and green seaweed.
An illustration of a meditative figure in the sea.
“A lot of stories told to us revolve around traditional clans and cultures in the African (Ugandan) societies and history. In this piece, the Malayika (an angel) wearing traditional bark cloth prays for peace upon the Baganda Mmamba (lungfish) clan. “Abaana n’abazukulu omuziro mmamba”—the children and grandchildren of the Mmaba clan. It is important to note that I am also of the Mmamba clan.”
He Has Escaped
2021, Watercolour paint, pastel, marker, pen, and pencil, 11.7” x 16.5”
This illustration shows a small figure climbing through a maze with giant steps to the sky, where a windmill-like tunnel shines down upon him. At the bottom of the illustration is the maze, made of several large, purple walls that look like they are made of stone. The centre is a figure illustrated in black, with one hand and leg raised, in a running motion. The figure is running towards a beam of white light, which is coming from the sky above.
The sky is storm-like and illustrated in yellow, purple, and red. Within the sky are several black flowing lines that resemble wind, cascading in a chaotic way across the page. In the centre of the sky is a windmill-like tunnel made of two circles. The outer rim of the orb is a patterned ring with colourful triangles, half-circles, and dots. The patterns are coloured in yellow, blue, green, red, pink, and purple. Within the second inner circle is a brown hand that reaches towards the light that stems from the windmill-like shape, which is white.
Between the maze and the tunnel in the sky are two dancing figures on the left and right sides of the illustration. The figure on the left has a flowing blue skirt and three thin necklaces. The figure to the right has a striped headdress with blue, pink and yellow stripes and two black stripes in between each of the colours. They wear a yellow dress with a thick back outline that has a layer on the shoulders and two layers on the bottom. The bottom of the skirts around the knees on both figures meet the top of the maze.
An illustration of a figure escaping a maze towards a tunnel in the sky.
“This piece represents both the stories about traditional gods and goddesses as well as the hand of creation coming together. Typically, when growing up, often the traditional gods are represented as evil spirits and demonic mermaids. This is because of colonization stories and missionary work that introduced new religions in the time of our grandparents. The piece therefore paints them in a different light – two traditional African goddesses coming together to create this portal to the hand of creation so that the man can escape this trap. It is a different take, almost rebellion, to the way our traditions have been put down, and rather proposes the idea of integration to create peace in one’s self – acceptance of change but embracing the past.”
Study of an Atom
2020, Colour pencils, pens, markers, 11.7” x 16.5”
The focus of this illustration is two female figures, illustrated in white with black outlines, in the centre of the image. They are framed in the centre of the image by two circles outlined in white, with a colourful pattern inside the negative space where the circles intersect. The two female figures embrace each other from the side, shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip, with their backs to us. Within the white form of their bodies are planets and stars. The figure on the left has a large afro hairstyle, and the figure on the left has long braids that extend down the length of her back. In colour, surrounding the two figures are three flowing lines that are organic in form, that look like water and fire. A yellow stream flows across the shoulder of the figure on the left, a blue stream flows across the shoulder of the figure on the right, and a red stream circles the waist of both figures. Within the streams are tribal masks illustrated in black.
The background of the illustration is black with rainbow stripes. In each corner of the is a circle with an abstract motif. In the upper left is a red circle, the lower left is a green circle, the upper right is a blue circle, and the lower right is a purple circle.
An illustration of two female figures embracing each other with an abstract background.
“This is a representation of how money and wealth has gotten into the roots (the atoms per say) of the traditional African societies. The traditional masks around the universe formed as two African women represents the idea of an atom, the things we are made up of. The symbols are typically found on the notes of Ugandan currency. They are represented hypnotically as a statement to our political systems and leaders due to corruption and how money has hypnotized and derailed a society that was once all about community and togetherness that our parent’s ‘growing up stories’ are all about.”
The Deep Dive
2020, Colour pencils, pens, markers, 11.7” x 16.5”
The focus of this illustration is a figure diving face-first into the water, meeting a round, oblong mirror at the bottom, where the figure sees its reflection.
At the top of this illustration are black, light blue, and dark blue flowing lines that are ripples at the top of the water’s surface. Here we see the figure, illustrated in white and light blue with black outlines, diving into the water. The figure is bald, and their facial expression appears peaceful, with closed eyes and lips. The figure has long legs and long hoop earrings, and arms placed straight at their side. Wrapping and cascading around the figure in a circular motion is a red, yellow and purple stream. The stream follows the figure into the water and consists of colourful dots, black stars, and big fish with large fins and gaping open mouths. At the bottom of the illustration, the figure meets its reflection in a round, oblong mirror. The background of the mirror is black, with illustrations of a galaxy or alternate universe within. From the mirror beams, white rays of light, reaching upward toward the surface of the water. The reflection is a different version of the figure, with open eyes, long eyelashes, and hair.
An illustration of a figure diving into the water, meeting their reflection in a round mirror.
“This is a response to the slave stories I was told while growing up. It is known that a lot of “black” people were transported on slave ships during the colonialization period. But opposed to the horror of jumping off ships to die instead of being slaves, this art piece depicts a black woman with her hair completely shaved off (starting a new) while freely diving into the same seas, the deep water, as she wears her slave chains as earrings instead. The red pill she wears is a statement representing the willingness to learn a potentially unsettling or life-changing truth as she dives – courageously moving forward, not backwards anymore.”
Ivor Samuel Mubiru is of Ugandan nationality and is an architect/freelance artist that is primarily self-taught. His themes revolve mostly around African traditions, culture, religion, politics, and science, etc.