With just canvas, Kateeba paints life’s raw truths

Ugandan artist Joel Kateeba is redefining what it means to be self-taught, using nothing but canvas, color, and conviction to confront life’s raw truths. From the streets of Mutundwe to international stages, Kateeba’s work boldly captures the complexities of everyday struggles, poverty, depression, resilience, and hope, infused with Afrofuturistic imagery like sunflowers blooming with computer keyboards.

His art is deeply personal and socially conscious, often reflecting stories of single mothers, street children, and survivors. Recently featured among ten African artists in India for a Gandhi-themed mural project, Kateeba draws strength from solitude and the power of symbolism. His participation in the Creative Showcase, a collaboration between the British Council Uganda and Kuonyesha Art Fund, offered a powerful reflection of what it means to create from a place of lived experience. Through his installation and storytelling, he reminded audiences that art is not a luxury; it’s a mirror, a map, and a lifeline. With growing support, Kateeba continues to dream of building art centers to mentor self-taught artists across Africa.

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