ART AND SPACES

The National Theatre (UNCC) in its original glory, Kampala.

How much does a space contribute to an art piece presented in it? Could the space be considered to be part of the art piece? What role does space play in art, art expression and consumption of art? These are questions we considered in a recent discussion on Culture UnlimitedRadio with Bayimba Culture Foundation director Faisal Kiwewa.

With recent talk of the long overdue rehabilitation of the National Theatre or its impending demise depending on which report you choose to believe, it is relevant to talk about the spaces we use for artistic expression. Often when an artist has work to present in Kampala, there are some usual suspects one considers. The National Theatre or UNCC (Uganda National Cultural Centre), a ridiculous name if you ask me, is the first to come to mind regardless of what art form one is presenting. It has been used for dance, music, drama, art exhibits, festivals, film, symposiums, rehearsals and development of art works, even arts and cultural education. The National Theatre is a multi-purpose, multi-disciplinary space which even in its inadequacies, is somehow ahead of many other venues.  One can hardly imagine a multi-disciplinary cultural festival at Theatre Labonita, a film festival at Bat Valley Theatre, or a dance Festival at the enormous 1800 seater Didi’s Theatre. Nevertheless, these too are valid spaces for certain types of work. Music perhaps has the most leeway since many spaces have been re-purposed to allow for concerts; Serena Victoria Hall, Lugogo Cricket Grounds, Gatomato restaurant, Jazzville and a multitude of bars and restaurants around Kampala. These however aren’t suitable for most other types of art forms; or are they?

CONCEPTUAL AND PREPARATION STAGE

Preparing a recording in a garden with SYA, Makindye, Ug.

The use of space for an artist really starts at conception and through the development of the work; or conceptualising an exhibit. Most times we pay so much attention to the presentation part and forget that expression begins at conception. An artist with the wrong painting studio, dance studio, rehearsal studio, writing den et cetera, is akin to a cook in the wrong kitchen. Imagine a Ganda cook trying to prepare a local banana-leaves steamed luwombo cuisine in an Italian kitchen!

Many works are unable to reach their artistic and professional potential simply because they are prepared in very inadequate spaces. For example I wonder how many dancers actually view their pieces in their entirety prior to presentation. Judging from many dance performances I have seen, not many. Most rehearse in spaces without the simple but critical aid of mirrors yet it undoubtedly is a useful tool. Academics may stroke chins about the negativity of mirrors in rehearsal spaces but synchronicity, spatial awareness and posture at times need to be seen by the actual doer for one to understand direction from others. Interestingly even musicians in bands could do with a mirror in their rehearsal space because many lack posture and stage awareness necessary to contribute to the visual aspect of a performance.

Kaz Kasozi in Hakala forest, Finland.

The space in which an artist creates is crucial. Depending on the sentiments and disposition of the artist but also on the work in progress, consideration should be made whether the space is open or enclosed; in a busy and bustling place or somewhere serene and isolated. Each person works in a different way but also each project has different demands. Spaces have a great effect on mood and creativity that architects have long considered these aspects when designing buildings. Considering old monasteries and churches, most were designed with a consideration of their function of meditative contemplation. They had to be serene and tranquil and this informed the decisions about their form, shape, high ceilings, curves, ornamentation etc.

Fountain Abbey Crypt in England

The creative medical researcher Jonas Salk claims to have left his basement lab in America and gone to a monastery in Assisi Italy before he was able to crack the puzzle of polio. I have often found that wide open spaces and nature affect my creativity in a very esoteric and philosophical way whilst enclosed spaces focus my creativity on tasks within a project. Everyone has a different experience but one thing is certain, the space matters a great deal.

So why do artists often ignore this very fundamental contributor to their craft? Most times people simply consider functional conveniences such as transport and amenities; at times its superficial beauty of a site that perhaps might give them prestige and elevate their public status. However, I believe that the work should be the primary decider of what space is chosen. Everything else should be secondary.

PRESENTATION SPACE

Considering performing and exhibiting spaces, one has to look at various aspects.

• Artist preparation and dressing area [dressing rooms]
• Artist lounge and waiting room [green room]
• Performance area [stage] or exhibition area
• Wings on the side of the stage
• Crossover for accessing each wing of the stage
• Storage space
•  Orchestral pit
• Rest rooms

That list is by no means exhaustive and neither does it apply to all the different art forms or productions but it is an indicator of the general practical things to consider for an act to deliver a professional production. In the absence of proper spaces for performance, many of us in Kampala have had to resort to sleepy restaurants, noisy bars, the street, echo drenched church halls, disused cinema halls, unflattering car parks and all sort of spaces whose purpose is anything but performance. We improvise and gamble with all sorts of implausible spaces. Interestingly, many productions have benefited from these challenges. Some artists have turned these spatial faults to triumphs by making the space an attribute of the production or exhibition.

The traditional space for art exhibition in Kampala is Nommo gallery in Nakasero but its proximity to State house has made it somewhat of an isolated space. Security personnel are usually rather jittery about events there and this has made the space less attractive to artists and more importantly viewers. Otherwise its a very versatile space.

MOULDING THE ART OR TRANSFORMING THE SPACE

It would be foolhardy to put on a performance in a space without considering how the audience would perceive the work in such a space. It is this very notion that requires the artist not to conceive and prepare the work in a vacuum but to have the potential exhibition spaces included in the conceptual development of the work. The space in which the work is exhibited is actually part of the work. This is why a gallery might have its walls repainted to accommodate a particular exhibition or a theatre stage reassembled [some boards removed] and sets built or light rigs shifted for a production. When good soup is served it matters whether it is on a flat plate or in a bowl; it matters if you are given a spoon or not.

Some artists ridiculously claim that the art speaks for itself without consideration of the space in which it is consumed. I believe if the audience can’t find links between the space and the art or art form on display, the work will certainly suffer. It would be harder to ingest just like the soup on a flat plate. At that point it doesn’t matter whether it is good or not. So sometimes the art has to be molded a bit to fit the space. It is unwise for a street preacher to scream a 30 minutes sermon at passing cars. It would make more sense for them to prepare short phrases or insightful sound bites of scripture that a passerby can actually ingest in an instant. Similarly, a dancer with a piece delivered in theatre would have to make radical changes to deliver the same piece on the street.

Nankoma Sandra's Melanin exhibition sculpts the space.

In her recent photography exhibition Melanin, Nankoma Sandra had the Underground Artspace repainted and adorned with light fixtures which totally transformed and visually sculpted the space in such a way as to contribute to the works exhibited. For the same exhibition to show at the Belgian embassy, some works were removed to accommodate the nature of the space. So it is a balance of tweaking the space at times and other times tweaking the work. The space is part of the exhibit.

Once a month, African Movie Night was transforming an alcove of Yasigi Beer garden into a charming arty cinema den for African movies. The space contributed to the experience; it was not just a movie night. Lamentably, Yasigi Beer Garden is closing! I am certain the screenings organisers will soon get another quaint venue that will suit Afro-cinephilles.

FESTIVALS

Lately, festivals are springing up from every crevice and this is a healthy thing for the arts in our country. Regrettably, many are not truly considering the spaces in which they present. Things like availability of appropriate food, fresh-rooms, back stage, storage space, access from stage left to right, The synergy between different art forms is not a consideration. Dance might be programmed as an isolated form as if it is totally extricated from music; fashion might be presented without a thought for the models dressing area. At one festival I experienced, they had a foot massage parlour next to an African drum workshop! The parlour kept complaining about the loud drums and the drummers about the holistic music and strong perfumes from next door! At another, a vivacious muchomo stand was placed within vicinity of the grubby toilets; no thank you very much, I will eat at home. Simple spatial programming would have sorted this little problem.

It is definitely not enough to merely claim an open space and simply dump a production in it just because one can. The space must be transformed for the purpose and in some cases the art must be remolded to fit the space. I often wonder why large spaces are not cordoned off when artists have more intimate works exhibited or performed in such. Jazz Safari 2016 showed great creativity in using Lugogo grounds; Bayimba has outdone itself in exploiting every knook of the UNCC; Kampala International Theatre Festival awoke spaces at Ndere Centre; and recently, Roast and Rhyme has sat an event into the Jahazi Pier environement with elegant panache.

TSENKE SURPRISE

I was particularly impressed by Tsenke Market’s (Teddy Nabisenke) use of the Dancing Cup in exhibiting her art works whilst the venue continued its usual business as a cafe. The works lent a bohemian air to the cafe whilst it offered a piece of sophistication to the exhibits. Meanwhile they were set up in market fashion yet one could still plainly experience them without buying. I couldn’t resist walking away with some pieces.

Kaz and the artist Nabisenke

More Tsenke art

Tsenke hangings

As artists we have to continue to view spaces with a very creative and critical eye that can allow us to attract interest in what we do; to make our work relevant; to make our work entertaining; to make impact in the spaces and reclaim or re-purpose spaces that have been abandoned. One of my favourite music shows that I have done was in Mabira forest; that experience beats anything I could ever present at Serena or Sheraton. We need to be creative with our use of space, we are artists after all.

Look out for a future article on Virtual Spaces and Art.

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You can visit Nsenke Market on 29^th/30^th July at Dancing Cup, Plot 15 Lithuli Avenue, Bugolobi.

Visit Sandra Nankoma's Melanin exhibition at Underground Artspace until the end of June. Also you can read more about Melanin here.

Visit Open Expression by M Richy Weavher and Nakamya Assumpter at Nommo Gallery

Roast and Rhyme is on at Jahazi Pier, Munyonyo on Sunday 2nd July for a great family day out on the lakeside.