Art and Life

The calm of the Nile. Viewed from cabin 6 Wildwaters lodge. I am privileged to say that I wrote this on the banks of the Nile. Just writing that sentence excites my creative spirit with a spark of regeneration; a sense of timelessness; a touch of something much bigger than I; a grandness I simply cannot possibly claim. The splendid awe of nature reminds us of our insignificance in the grand scheme of things. It reminds us of the divine creator’s hand. Sitting by the banks of a river that has run through centuries; a river that bathed ancient Kings and Queens; a river that has run through numerous kingdoms; a river that is woven in Biblical stories; a river that will continue to flow long after we are gone. It is indeed an inspiring wonder. One of God’s grand gestures on this earth is the Nile. This write up is a little bit artsy so the language is a bit flowery than usual but bear with it, there is a point in here somewhere. The riot of the Nile As creative artists we ...

Afrobeat originator Fela Kuti. image from Atlanticblackstar “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” so said writer Ernest Hemingway. The quote suggests sacrifice, suffering and a sense of self torture. Many artistic people have long claimed that to create awe inspiring and truly original work, one has to suffer. I can’t help but think that it also helps the artist feel more like what they are doing is somewhat noble. History certainly is not short of troubled artists in all walks who walked the path to destruction and also left us with some great work and perhaps without fulfilling the full promise of their talents. We can cite people like writer Sylvia Plath, musician Fela Kuti, actor and filmmaker Orson Welles, composer Beethoven and painter Jean Michel Basquiat; these are some creative people who led troubled lives and indeed did create incredible work. Back in our humble Uganda we also have local greats such as musicians Philly Bongol...

Image from www.shanaschutte.com When you hear the word " but ", very often the rest of the sentence is not to your liking. "We received your application but...”, "the script was good but...”, "fantastic designs but...”, "exquisite meal dear but...”, "Kaz your blog is the best thing since Genesis but...". Well, you get the picture. Most creative people I know don't like to hear any criticism. Even after showering someone with praise;  the minute you say, "it was very good, but ...” you will have put  a  banana peel on the steps. If you weren't friends to start with, the criticism will be explained away as enmity or sour grapes. No matter how well meaning,  in Kampala, criticism is generally termed as " nugu " (jealously) regardless of the intent behind it. An Artist and Their Work Are One It is understandable why it is hard for an artist to stomach a negative reaction to their work. They have probably toiled o...