Visual artist Mansur Kabera Follow.Art Card

About me

Mansur Kabera Kajibwami is a contemporary visual artist and independent researcher from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Currently based in Kampala, Uganda, whose rigorous mixed-media practice explores the profound complexities of displacement, memory, and territorial identity. Working primarily with acrylics, sand, and textured layers on canvas, Kajibwami investigates the psychological and socio-political landscapes of migrated communities, examining how individual and collective identities are continually reshaped by forced movement and cross-cultural encounter. Central to Kajibwami's visual vocabulary is the integration of tactile, raw materials and symbolic imagery to construct memory as an active form of socio-political resistance. By introducing organic elements like sand directly into his layered surfaces, he physically grounds the canvas in a dialogue about land, belonging, and lost geography. His dense compositions are further defined by the inclusion of text and a recurring exploration of the female figure, utilizing the maternal form as a powerful, monumental representation of the motherland-both a site of deep historical grief and an enduring symbol of structural resilience. As an independent voice within the East African contemporary art landscape, Kajibwami's work actively challenges passive narratives surrounding global migration. His paintings serve as complex, critical archives that document the resilience of uprooted communities. By weaving together personal reflection with broader structural histories, Kajibwami bridges the gap between historical displacement and future reclamation, demanding that the viewer confront the tangible weight of the refugee experience.