Birungi Kawooya

Birungi Kawooya is a collage artist and teacher inspired by nature, the beauty of Black womxn and the ingenuity of dance from the African diaspora using batik, paper and paint. Her portraits celebrate Black womxnhood, elevating rest, joy and wellbeing. Nostalgia and family also inform her practice, from memories of kitchen discos with her siblings and Kiganda dancers at weddings. She creates art she wants to see more of in the world and therefore her primary theme is depicting Black womxn, usually with flawless jet-Black skin.

Birungi seeks to elevate Black womxn so that they can see themselves as works of art and gain self-esteem. In 2020 she reflected on how Black womxn are pivotal in leading social justice movements and decided to focus on compelling Black womxn to protect their dreamspace with the “Sisters Need Sleep” collection. The collection celebrates Black womxn resting and taking care of themselves. By prioritising self-care, the figures in “Sisters Need Sleep” resist the forces of domination in themselves and to contribute to a more equitable society for all.

Birungi’s art explores movement through paper silhouettes illuminated by Ugandan batik textiles which connects the dance pieces to her heritage. Endlessly inspired by dancers, Birungi aspires to translate the motion, skill and soul of dance from the African diaspora into 2-dimensional pieces. Dance styles include traditional Kigandan dances, Afro-Brasilian samba and African-American Hiplet.Her work is often infused with the lush plant life such as tropical flowers and matooke (banana) trees which are common in Uganda and are referenced in the Josephine Baker collection

Sisters Need Sleep