Sometimes showing humanity is like a piece of art

Ronald Mugabe from Uganda is known for painting heartwarming scenes featuring dark figures resembling silhouettes with a touch of blue. His characters are mainly children participating in different indoor and outdoor activities, with dogs and cats also making appearances in his work. Mugabe draws inspiration from his experiences as a street kid, aiming to inspire and offer hope to others facing similar challenges.

When did you start to create art?

I started getting into art back in high school. I had that passion and love of doing art. My teachers encouraged me because they saw my passion for it. After high school, I decided to attend the College of Art in Uganda. The college taught me a lot about different aspects of art, and I even learned more from my friend, Eddie. I started with a one-year certificate and then decided to pursue a diploma.

But what was your main purpose to make paintings?

I have a hidden story about why I started to paint. I was a street kid, and after being rehabilitated for almost a year, I joined school. While in college, I focused on portraying my experiences as a street kid through my paintings. I aimed to depict the struggles and hardships faced by people, especially kids, and to convey a message of hope and resilience. I want to show that even in difficult circumstances, there is hope and the potential to succeed. I feel that by sharing my story and portraying the lives of others through my art, I can inspire and give hope to people facing similar challenges.

I notice that you mostly have your characters indoors, like kitchens, living rooms.

The setting depends on what I want to convey through the painting, and I don't mind whether it's indoors or outdoors as long as I can effectively find the essence of the scene. Initially, I focused on subjects like homelessness, but now I also paint scenes related to Muslim culture. I aim to capture the beauty and emotion of the subjects, whether it's children reading indoors or engaging in various activities outdoors. I mostly focus on the activities that my characters are doing.

As for your question about the interiors in my paintings, I chose these settings as a way to emphasize the idea that life goes on even in difficult circumstances and to show that hope and strength can be found even in everyday environments like living rooms and kitchens.

So is it kind of a celebration the beauty of everyday life?

When you take a critical look at my paintings, you'll notice that they depict people's evolving stories, lives, and moments. Sometimes, you can see kids standing together or sitting and reading newspapers. The paintings often tell emotional stories.

What do the dogs and cats symbolize in your paintings?

I include moments with dogs in my paintings because I used to see them on the streets looking for food, and I still see the same thing happening today as I move around the streets of Kampala. I wanted to show that even the dogs have differents characters, they can be your friends.

Even if you paint only one character in your composition, I don't feel any loneliness in that. I think that your figures are always a part of a community.

When I paint, I express what I feel and reflect on my own experiences as well as the experiences of people in my community. Sometimes I want to share certain information, but I am also very interested in painting scenes from my childhood. My childhood experiences are a big inspiration for me. When I visit town, I enjoy observing kids on the roads and even venturing into the slum areas. There is so much that I find interesting and also quite sad in these areas. And I always remember that I’ve been always around my friends, we told stories to each other, made promises and kept hope in our hearts.

Your figures are very dark; remind me of silhouettes mixed with little blue brushstrokes.

I used to paint wildlife, also known as tourism art and would share my work on Instagram occasionally. I showed my work to a collector in Sweden, but he advised that my work wouldn't stand out in the art world and encouraged me to create something unique. I started scrolling on Instragram, seeing other's works... Inspired by black art trends on social media, I started painting black figures, but I wanted my work to be even more special. I painted my first two unique pieces, using a combination of black and blue tones, and posted them on Instagram. The collector was impressed and bought the paintings. Encouraged by his support, I continued developing my style, which involves painting the figures with blue colors first and then adding black strokes to create a distinctive look.

I'm intrigued by the fact that your characters have unique haircuts. I can identify your characters based solely on their haircut.

In the past, I used to wear dreadlocks, but the community perceived it negatively, associating it with irresponsible or criminal behavior. I faced judgment from others who viewed me as a bad person just because of my hairstyle. However, I believe that people shouldn't be judged based on their appearance alone. Despite the misconceptions, I maintained my hairstyle as a personal choice, not wanting to conform to negative stereotypes. That's why I paint these haircuts on my paintings.

We barely see the facial expressions of these figures. Only the eyes are lit. Can we read your paintings from a spiritual aspect?

Other collectors said that the eyes are very attractive, and look like stars. I was in a situation where I saw two kids in need, one was stranded, and the other was down. At that moment, I felt like praying for them, which made me realize that sometimes showing humanity is like a piece of art. I believe that my work is spiritually connected to God. It's all about celebrating happiness and finding comfort in God, especially during tough times.

What does black joy mean to you?

When I speak of 'black joy,' I am referring to the happiness experienced by black individuals. I take pride in being a black person, but I must admit that it can be challenging to be recognized. However, I am currently pleased to work with international art galleries because of my identity as a black person. I am also grateful for the opportunities that have come my way, allowing me to showcase my work featuring black figures. This fills me with happiness and gratitude.

Most of your characters wear elegant clothes, like formal dresses, suits. Why is that?

I take a lot of photos before I start to paint. Sometimes, the photos feature the same person wearing the same clothes. I don't want to paint the same clothes and colors all the time, so I use use both reality and my imagination to blend together based on the post you intend to paint.

However, your figures are very dark, and the background around them is always vibrant and colorful.

When it comes to my background, I like to use a lot of vibrant colors and various patterns. I want it to look rich and full of life. Choosing the colors and patterns is a bit tricky. Sometimes, it's all about mixing colors to create a beautiful palette. I also take inspiration from the colors I see around me, especially when I'm outdoors. I try to avoid using contrasting or repetitive colors. When painting dark figures, I use lighter, shouting colors to make the image stand out clearly.

How can you make the space on the canvas?

Well, we learnt a lot about perspective. It's all about the elements and principles of art, and it's important to apply them to make your work look very nice. Those lines, angles, and perspective need to be in your work to create a whole universe on the canvas. But as we are all different as artists, we see things differently, so, everyone can paint in a different way.

You use a very painterly, expressionist layer in every work of yours, which is all about the colors, the gestures. What is your purpose in using this fracture?

It's very intuitive, like a freestyle to me. Sometimes I don't like smooth paintings. When I paint, I don't want it to look calm. I want someone to feel the color and impulse when seeing my painting. If I use a single color as the background, I don't want it to be just plain. I want to put some brush strokes so that it feels like the color is coming through. I want the light to play on the surface and show that it's a real painting, not a photograph.

How do you approach making a painting in general?

Sometimes, when I feel bad, maybe alone, so many moments come to my mind. It's like my mind wants to create something. It all starts from thinking. My process involves several steps. First, as I mentioned, I take pictures. Sometimes I decide not to take a picture but instead pose my figures in a certain way to capture the composition I want. After I take the photos, I transfer the composition directly onto the canvas. I don't have time to do sketches in a book.After sketching, I start adding colors. I also use very precise brush strokes, sometimes very small ones. I want to express myself perfectly through my art, although, of course, no one is perfect.

What kind of paintings do you like in general?

I love expressive paintings with a lot of energy, colors, and brush strokes. They communicate a lot. When I feel bad, I think about moments and experiences that bring emotions and stories.

What is your average day look like?

As an artist, my typical day can vary depending on my mood and schedule. For instance, if I have some upcoming exhibitions so I am going to spend a lot of time with paintings. I might spend the entire day working on a single painting for a week, especially if it's a large piece. Smaller paintings with fewer details may take me only a few days to complete. However, if I'm not in the mood to paint, I won't force myself to do it. I believe it's important to paint only when I'm in the right mindset. This means my painting schedule can be flexible, depending on how I feel daily.

You already had some exhibitions in Miami and Paris. Tell me a bit about them.

When people saw my work, they contacted me and expressed interest in collaborating because they loved my work and its vibrant colors. We agreed to work together for a year to see how things progressed. As I'm new to the market, they are helping to promote my work.

Do you aspire to become internationally famous, or are you more focused on the present?

I'm interested in gaining international recognition. Although I've never aspired to be famous, I believe it's essential to see where life takes you. Sometimes, things happen unexpectedly, and I attribute the positive reception of my artwork to God's grace, love, and mercy. I create my art not for my own benefit but to support my community. It's essential to give back when you're blessed. In the future, I hope to use the proceeds from my art sales to establish a school to help underprivileged children acquire valuable skills.

What are you actually working on?

Today, I'm taking a break as I need some rest after working for a couple of months. I've been processing many thoughts and ideas, and it takes a lot of time and energy. I need a break for my mental health because I overthink a lot.