East Africa Art

Artwork exhibited in Nakasero by Ugandan artist Samson Ssenkaaba aka Xenson at the Kampala Contemporary Art Festival 2012

“Today we are seeing a huge dumping phenomenon of second hand products and cheap Chinese brand name knock-offs in many African cities. Most of the second hand goods come through the sea via these containers. Inevitably the containers are the vehicles of a phenomenon that is blind to unsuspecting citizens of these third world economies who at the same time are unaware of the pending gross repercussions.

Through my art I’m trying to create an awareness of the dangers of dumping, which is now common in contemporary Africa. I strive to ask critical but emotionally sensitive questions and solicit information from the audience by highlighting this issue. In turn I believe this will stimulate a thought process and potentially perpetrate the necessary action. There is a critical question however: Can there be a seamless co-existence of technology and economic advancement without tremendous damage to the environment?

My art seeks to represent some conceptual and abstract answers to this question.”