USIAREVIEW

Paul Ndema, born in 1979, is a prominent contemporary painter living and working in Kampala, Uganda. With nearly two decades of experience, Ndema stands out as one of Uganda's leading artists. He was born in Mbarara, located in the western region of Uganda, and pursued his studies at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art at Makerere University, graduating in 2002 with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.

Ndema has showcased his work in several notable exhibitions, including "Kampala Contemporary" at Circle Art Gallery in Nairobi (2016) and "East African Encounters" at the same gallery (2014). His art has also been featured at the Cape Town Art Fair (2016, 2015), the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair (2016), and the Kampala Art Biennale (2014).

Renowned in Kampala for his distinctive style, Ndema's paintings are easily recognizable through their use of portraiture and provocative subject matter. His work delves into themes such as politics, religion, cultural identity, sexuality, and history within Uganda and the broader context of global African society. Balancing subtle satire with tongue-in-cheek commentary, Ndema's art does not draw conclusions but instead poses thought-provoking questions. He achieves this through a blend of sharp humor, sensitivity to societal nuances, and exceptional technical skill.

Interview by Francisco Lacerda to the Artist Paul Ndema:

Francisco Lacerda: These canvases, made of Plastisol inks and acrylic, are based on the stories from people you met at the market. Why are these stories important to you?

Paul Ndema: Different types of mats are usually woven for different purposes. For example, there are those that are specifically woven to encourage marital sexual harmony , spirituality and those that are a reserve for politically high standing individuals.
The weavers explain the difference in craftsmanship and functions of the woven mats. These stories are important to me because they revive a rich traditional and cultural practice that is increasingly being ignored and forgotten over generations. The mat, in addition to its physical functionality, becomes a symbol of societal cohesion and harmony.

FL: Many countries in Africa have different ethnic groups. These colors are based on the karyotype of each person you met. However, I wonder if these colors are related to each ethnic group. How did you choose those colors?

PN: The colours chosen are not exclusive or related to any ethnic groups. I chose the colours based on my emotional interpretation of the stories told by the weavers. The difference in their creative abilities with story telling, added drama to the colour selection process.

FL: Cultural identity and sexuality are also a focus of your work. What type of message do you want to convey when you create artworks that focus on this subject?

PN: When I make work that focuses on cultural identity and sexuality, I wish to convey a simple message of open mindedness, tolerance and unbiased curiosity about differences in cultural identities and sexualities, however alien they may seem.

A special thank you to Christophe Person and Marie Moignard from art gallery CHRISTOPHE PERSON.

5th June 2024.

One day with Mariella Devia, Soprano. António Lourenço and guest Nuno Fonseca, 5th July 2021

On July 1st, António Lourenço and I embarked on a journey from Lisbon to Alcobaça, a short one-hour drive, to meet the extraordinary soprano, Mariella Devia. Renowned for her remarkable voice, which she maintained impeccably until the end of her illustrious career, Devia is truly one of the greatest voices of her generation. This occasion marked her first visit to Portuguese soil, where she was invited to conduct a masterclass for promising young Portuguese singers, including both established soloists and those still seeking their breakthrough.

Fresh from her retirement, Devia was enthusiastic about sharing her extensive knowledge. Over the course of the day, we observed her working with six pupils, all but one being sopranos. It was immediately clear that she was dedicated to imparting the skills she had honed throughout her career to these aspiring artists.

Having participated in numerous masterclasses both in Portugal and abroad, I understand the high expectations placed on both the teacher and students. Devia and her pupils met these expectations superbly, even overcoming the acoustic challenges posed by the stone walls of the room, which were more suited for conferences than singing lessons.

From 10 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 6 PM, we delved into the soprano operatic repertoire. This is typical for masterclasses, as most participants are usually sopranos. We listened to arias from operas such as Turandot, La Sonnambula, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Lucia di Lammermoor.

Devia handled complex topics like breathing and intonation with incredible tact, helping the pupils understand how to work on their weaknesses and improve. She emphasized that there is no magical formula or one-size-fits-all solution; each singer must discover what works best for them under the guidance of a teacher.

During the afternoon break, we finally had the opportunity to engage with Maestra Devia herself and ask a few questions we had prepared beforehand.

António: Is there a reason why only now we here in Portugal are graced with your presence, after a long and distinguished career all over the world?

Mariella Devia: Well, you’ll have to ask my various managers about that (chuckles). I just never got invited to sing in your Teatro Nacional de São Carlos or anywhere else in this country.

Nuno: What do you think of opera audiences and their future?

Mariella Devia: With this ongoing pandemic, that’s still a big question mark. Prior to that, we were struggling to captivate and engage young audiences. As I said in previous interviews, music lessons from the earliest age, preferably from elementary school, could be of great help to young listeners and bring more people to the opera world. 

After we had exchanged some personal experiences, António mentioning his love for belcanto and how glad he was to finally be able to talk with he considers to be the queen of the operatic genre, up there with Renata Scotto in his opinion, in his bid to listen to perfection (if such a thing even exists),and me focusing on the sorry state of job offers regarding professional singers, be it in professional choirs or solo in Portugal, or my own experiences in masterclasses hosted by such sacred monsters of the opera world like Renato Bruson, Luciana Serra or Montserrat Caballé, we bid heradieu and I said I hoped I had the opportunity to be coached by her in the future, as, owing to the financial devastation caused by COVID-19 which left our life as singers in dire straits, as if our situation weren’t difficult enough before, I could only participate as a listener. Even so, I was ecstatic to have finally met the diva (I hope she doesn’t get mad at me for saying that) in the flesh.

5th July 2021.