Ambassador Klaus (rtd) is a lawyer, academician, diplomat, foreign and public service officer. He was born on 14th November 1938 in Berlin. Mr Klaus Holderbaumok, served in the Germany diplomatic service for 33 years, with a 22 years’ experience in sub Saharan Africa. Uganda was his last post when he retired in 2003 and made it his retirement home. His first African assignment was in Lusaka Zambia where he served as the Deputy Head of
Mission and First Secretary from 1974 to 1977. He returned to the Foreign Service Office in Bonn in 1977 where he served at the Africa Department from till 1980. He returned to Africa in 1980 and served at the German Embassy in Abijah, Ivory Coast as the Deputy Head of Mission and Counsellor for four years. He returned to Foreign Office Bonn in 1983 and served in the Political Department as the Deputy Head of Division. Between 1986 and 1991 he was the, German Ambassador in Bamako, Mali.

He returned to Foreign Office Bonn in 1991 and served as the Head of the Division for Humanitarian Aid and lecturer for Humanitarian Assistance at the University of Bochum till 1995 when he returned to Africa and served as the German Ambassador in Yaoundé, Cameroon. During the same period, he was also accredited to Equatorial Guinea, Chad and Central Africa Republic. Mr. Klaus Holderbaum’s last Ambassadorial service was in Uganda from 1999 to June2003 when he retired from Foreign Service and decided to live permanently in Uganda Since July 2003, he has worked as an Independent Consultant, Advisor and served as a member of the Board of Director of various organizations including the Ministry of Tourism Trade and Industries, United Assurance, Gauff Engineers, Board of Director, Nnabagereka Development Foundation, QNet Ltd, Board of Trustees Duke of Edinburgh Award (U), Vice chairperson – save the street children Uganda, Member of Skal club Kampala chapter and oktoberfest.

Directly or indirectly, Mr HolderBaum helped shape art history in Uganda; by recognizing the value of what artists bring to their communities, he was able to ignite artist interest and allowed artists to evolve and create more value. The exhibition helps us understand these historical artworks, their influence on society and their collective social, cultural and political context. The exhibition provides evidence and insight into the collection’s significance and instigates dialogue among artists, Art historians and the audience.

During his stay work and stay in Uganda, he has contributed immensely to the growth of the arts and culture industry by supporting Ugandan artists and the different arts programs. He is a representation of a historical friendship between German and Uganda, given his role as the senior presidential advisor on Trade and Tourism to the president of Uganda, a symbol of the economic and cultural development opportunities for both countries.
This collection reflects the preservation of African Art history and the evolution of art, given that most of the artists in his collection, are now grown and evolved in their practice over the years.

We hope this exhibition inspires the next generation of passionate art collectors to not only, collect art but also showcase their future collections