On 9th December, we hosted our first ever Art Exhibition at Agandy Studios featuring the very talented Mary Diana Laruni.
“Does any of you here have a good relationship with their mother?” Mary D asked the audience during the panel discussion with Racheal. There were a few hands in sight. The exhibition is drawn from the Acholi phrase ‘Min Latin’ which is birthed from Mary’s deep curiosity about motherhood.
The exhibition centers around the first part of the series, “Dear Mother,” inspired by letters expressing the artist’s questions and rage about growing up as a woman in a modern household with traditional values. The second part, “The Blanket,” provides a glimpse into a celebration of vulnerability and the emotions experienced during the letter-writing season.
This section serves as a guide for the artist’s current work on the third series. Notably, the use of a mask in the exhibition serves as a metaphor for identity, exploring the complexities of relationships and unraveling the intricate threads of the artist’s sense of self.
Our mission at Learn with Agandy is to share knowledge with each other as creatives and create a network. This project is one we watched unfold before our eyes through Mary’s keen emphasis on partnering with other artists to bring her art to life. In the spirit of collaboration, we had other artistes participate in the exhibition. We had a gripping poetry performance from Ssebo Lule and a dance performance from Gideon Slomo.
We were not too certain about the nuances that would come with planning an exhibition, but we jumped in nonetheless. To say we were overwhelmed would be an understatement. We had a full house and a great vibe! It’s a beautiful reality to see artists show up for each other through collaboration, presence and encouragement and this exhibition gave us yet another opportunity to simply celebrate art and the possibilities of creativity.
Final word
It was an amazing experience hosting our first ever exhibition as Agandy! A special thanks to Mary Diana, an amazing artist whose art we were privileged to have in our space. Check out her work and give her a follow!
