Ronex Ahimbisibwe
Uganda, 1977
abridged version, with descriptions of work and and style
of the painter-sculptor-print maker Ronex Ahimbisibwe
per may 2006
Personal data
FAMILY NAME: AHIMBISIBWE
GIVEN NAMES: Ronex
BORN IN : Rucence (Uganda / East Africa)
DATE OF BIRTH: 7 December 1977
SEX: male
MARITAL STATUS: unmarried, no children
NATIONALITY : Ugandan (East Africa)
IDENTITY PAPERS: Ugandan Passport -- passport number B 0347358
Issued at Kampala (Uganda) on 15 November 2002
Valid until 15 November 2012
Address / phone / email
PHYSICAL ADDRESS: plot 399 Makerere next to Baskon hostel
POST ADDRESS: c/o School of Industrial and Fine Arts
Makerere University
P.O. Box 7062 -- Kampala -- Uganda
PHONE : +256 752 537 828
E-mail: {a} ronexart@yahoo.com
{b} ahimbiron@yahoo.com
Website: ronexart.com
Representation in Europe
Barzart.com
Representation in Uganda
Tulifanya gallery, Kampala Uganda
www.tulifanya.com
Formal education
HIGHEST LEVEL OBTAINED:
Bachelors Degree of Industrial and Fine Arts (BIFA) - at the School of Industrial and Fine Arts of the Makerere University in Kampala (Uganda) in 2001
Professional workshops & courses
2001: computer training -- by MAKERERE UNIVERSITY (Kampala, Uganda)
2002: website design -- by DEHEZEL INTERNATIONAL .at Commercial Plaza (Kampala, Uganda)
2003:
-workshop with index mashariki at NZINUNURA OMUNAKU PRIMARY SCHOOL, Kyebando {Kampala}
-Workshop with index mashariki--- with Former Street kids on x-mass at design agenda gallery. 2004
-a workshop and giving of gifts with index mashariki-with former street kids,Cornerstone head offices in kamwokya, Kampala.
-International workshop on the use of rejects -- by NGOMA in Bukoto (Kampala, Uganda)
-Ultra wired art workshop with the Norwegians at Afri-art gallery
-Bronze Casting work shop----by Pangolin Edition, at MAKERERE UNIVERSITY [Kampala, Uganda]
-of Uganda, by Uganda photography workshop at Backpackers, Lungujja [Kampala]
2005:
-one day workshop and giving of gifts to orphans at Aid child center in Mpigi district.
-a three day workshop with Saul, a 16 year old - living with AIDS and orphaned. at my studio Kavule, Makerere and Entebbe wild life center.
-casting workshop supported by Ruwenzori Casting workshop at Makerere University, Kampala [Uganda]
2006:
-one day workshop with Nathan Caminhada {Mozambican artist} at Tulifanya gallery, Kampala,Uganada-1/06/2006
Memberships professional organizations
- Founding Member of the Ugandan Artist Group INDEX MASHARIKI since Jan 2003
- Member of Uganda Printmakers Association since 2001
- Member of Ugandan Artist Association since 2001
Major exhibitions by Ronex Ahimbisibwe
2000
-Millennium Exhibition at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- Abruzzo Wild Life Exhibition at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
2001
-All Artists Exhibition at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- 1st Printmaking Exhibition at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- 3rd Women Exhibition (guest artist) at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- Nude Exhibition at NOMMO Gallery (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- Anti-Corruption Exhibition at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- The Sour and Sweet Exhibition at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- 2002
- Agali Awamu/Print Making Exhibition at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda)- Group
- Women's International Day Exhibition at MAKERERE GALLERY (Kampala, Ug)- Group
- Artist of the Month Exhibition at ALLIANCE FRANCAISE (Kampala, Uganda) - Solo
- Wildlife Exhibition at the GERMAN CULTURAL CENTER (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- End of the Year Exhibition at NOMMO GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- 2003
-Discoveries -- Young Artist Exhibition at TULIFANYA GALLERY (Kampala, Ug)--Solo
- Single Impact Exhibition at the GERMAN CULTURAL CENTER (Kampala, Uganda)-Solo
- Autumn Exhibition at NIEMANDSLAND (Düsseldorf, Germany) -- Group
- Kunstsupermarkt-4 Exhibition at ROSSO ART WORK (Amsterdam, Netherlands) -- Group
- Olympics Competititon Exhibition at UGANDA MUSEUM (Kampala, Uganda) -- Group
- Winter Exhibition in WOONGROEP HOLLAND (Amstelveen, Netherlands) -- Group
- East African Art Biennale/EASTAFAB (Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania) -- Group
- Christmas Exhibition with Former Street Kids -Design Agenda (Kampala, Uganda) - Group
- 2004
-Ultra Hot Wired Life Art Show at AFRIART GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Bilateral Group Exhibition with Norway
- Single impact at TULIFANYA GALLERY (Kampala, Uganda) -- Solo
- International Child Day Exhibition at Afri-art gallery (Kampala) -- Group
- Sunday Brunch with Kamya at Aid child's Equation a Café, Masaka
- Boda-boda era, at Nommo gallery, Kampala
-'Paint a smile'' at Sheraton hotel, {Kampala, Uganda} 50% of all sales went to acid survivors …solo
2005
-mastered reloaded at Design Agenda gallery,{group} July 2005.
-single impact, solo at Tulifanya gallery. September 2005
-all artist exhibition at Nommo gallery, December {group} December 2005
-Yves Goscinny: East Africa Art Biennale / EASTAFAB 2005, Dar-es-salaama, Tanzania.
2006
- art and politics today at Design Agenda ,Feb. 2006
- annual printmakers exhibition at Afri-art gallery, march 2006
major commissions
2001-- Painted reliefs on 3 ceilings -- a private Residence (Namugongo, Uganda)
2002-- Large mural and reliefs -- Namirembe Guest House (Namirembe, Uganda)
2002-banana plantation reliefs at pioneer mall, [Kampala, Uganda]
2003-- Large outdoors sculpture "Girls with a Vision" -- Trinity College (Nabbingo, Uganda)
2003 -art for abato 2003- 'rocking horses' -fundraiser for nsambya babies home, (Kampala, Uganda)
2004 -art for abato 2004 [thrones, crowns & treasure chests- exhibition and fundraiser for the children of Nsambya babies home
2005 -curved Kyambogo University's mess
2006 -art for abato "like what you see" {mirror frames -exhibition for orphaned children
Publications & mass media about my work
2002
-- David Kaiza: Ahimbisibwe: The Artist as a (too) Young Man? THE EAST AFRICAN, Nov 25-Dec 1, 2002.
--Moses Serugo: upclose:Ronex Ahimbisibwe…MONITOR, Oct 27,2002
2003
--Alex Balimwikungu: The Woman through Sculpture. NEW VISION, Friday 19 Sept 2003
--Nathan Kiwere: It is a return to...MONITOR, 2003
-- Yves Goscinny: East Africa Art Biennale / EASTAFAB 2003. Dar -es -Salaam, 2003. ISBN 9987 8975 17 (pp 132-133)
2004---Moses Serugo, young and gifted……Rendezvous Magazine
2004--- Mckeever, the eye, the sky …….Australian art review
2004---GAPCO calendar
2004---Hillary Nsambu, GAPCO to pay sh7.5m for copyright law. THE NEW VISION, 8th November 2004
2005
--Von Andrea Prolb, Bildende kunst, Lyrik Und Modenschau [Gastkunstler aus uganda and Bulgarien im Oberpfalzer Kunstlerhaus I Shwandorf]-Shwandorf news paper, German.[29/ April / 2005]
---Kunst aus Uganda im Sperl-Stadl.Shwandorf, German.[18th April 2005]
--Von Thomas Gittinger :Erstmals Zusammenarbeit mit ,,Donumenta", shwandorf, German
,,Kreativitat ist grenzenlos": Kunstler aus Uganda und Bulgarien im Oberpfalzer Kunslerhaus[14th May 2005,] shwandorf, German
--Yves Goscinny: East Africa Art Biennale / EASTAFAB 2005,ISBN 9987-8975-3-3, page 200-2001
2006
...Chloe Mukai; what art says about today's politics {Friday, 24 Feb.2006}
ABOUT STYLE, TECHNIQUE AND SUBJECT MATTER
of the artist Ronex AHIMBISIBWE
My works reveal or link my experience, fantasies and reality -thus my dreams, fears, strengths, desires, my conscious and the subconscious encircle my visual expressions. It's hard to ignore one's culture, its part of me and gives identity at the same time.
Always my desire is to create works that curiously blend sophistication and naivety
My works pivots around women-love them, hate them its hard to ignore them.
Summary of remarks by art critics in publications
Both as a painter, printmaker and sculptor, Ahimbisibwe's subject matter mostly revolves around women. Says the artist: "They are the natural treasures Africans should be proud of. Through them, our cultures have kept burning. Our sheer existence depends on their love, perseverance and labor. But -- sadly enough -- our women are unsung heroes, and their rights have been trampled upon. My dream is to project them in another light -- one in which they are proud of their psyche, their body and their many fold roles in society, commanding respect and portraying all that can be said about life."
Blending different materials and techniques has helped the young artist to achieve many of his visions. He places a strong emphasis on the technical execution of his life themes and the blending of acrylics, basco paints, oils, prints and inks on diverse supports as sisal, canvas, bark cloth, paper, cardboard and woods -- mostly rejects. This subdued but colorful and nuanced palette and pseudo-naive execution leads to the subject, so that a statement about fertility or sexuality becomes a statement of how to attain those statements. His works revel in freedom which shows his strong social commitment at the same time. Not only qua theme, but also in his efforts to bring art to the underprivileged in his society - in collaboration with four young colleagues, calling themselves Index Mashariki, seeking to further actively modern, indigenous African art.
Ahimbisibwe's work is refreshing, and his meteoric debut the kind of occurrence that gives one confidence in the future -- a fine representative of African Renaissance, indeed. "Dr.B.Kosse "
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