LUMIIMAMAWUGWE

Lumiimamawugwe is Xenson’s reaction to the covid19 pandemic. During the first few days of the pandemic, as he went through his sketch book, he found sketches of portraits in masks and they were signed in 2015. Although he could not immediately remember the inspiration behind the sketches, he remembered seeing some Chinese wearing masks around 2014 in down town Kampala.  But also recalled going to kabale and the air and the smell was so clean and refreshing as compared to cosmopolitan Kampala. This in a way triggered a series of paintings and Ideas.

As the lock down progressed different terminologies were used to refer to the pandemic. “Senyiga omukwabwe” and Lumiima mawugwe mainly by presenters of radio Simba and Central broadcasting services. Xenson picked great interest in the terminology Lumiima Mawugwe as he found it deeply poetic but also politically charged. Amidst the 2020 elections season and eventual violence that marked the election Lumiima Mawugwe became the definitive reflection of the elections.

The abstract couldn’t have been timely. Many people especially in the west lost their lives but also many opposing youth in Uganda found themselves behind bars, how Ironic! The pandemic became the difficult face of the election season. As part of the SOPS, economically, socially and spiritually the face mask became the new Talisman.

Talisman:  An object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune.

           Or something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects.

Hope

Before the pandemic, Xenson was ready to release his live in studio sophomore album; Yaaye. Amidst the helplessness, stress, hopelessness that was brought about by the pandemic; one song Bugulumu gave him comfort.

Bugulumu is an inspirational song with an indigenous melody that had Xenson had for over four years before the song was recorded. Bugulumu’s cadence and emotion is the ultimate remedy for citizens as we try to get back to normality.

Great thanks to Afrie and the Cheburum choir for the chorus, Giovan Kiyingi on the thumb piano and percussions, Jude Mugerwa on the piano, JJ Bugoma – Acoustic drums, Davis the violinist – Violin.