Acaye Kerunen, Banange, 2021, mixed media, 270 x 170 cm (106 ¼ x 66 7/8 in.) © Acaye Kerunen Acaye Kerunen Photography by Damian Griffiths Details:b. Kampala, UgandaConnect: (opens in a new window) @acayekerunenart Read More Acaye Kerunen’s multidisciplinary practice, spanning visual and performance art, sound, film, movement, poetry, curation, activism, and therapy, has established the artist as a leading voice in contemporary artmaking. She has created music, film, and theater productions and has been published in multiple international outlets.The processes of deconstruction and reconstruction are central to Kerunen’s practice. Her work seeks to disassemble the colonial and patriarchal structures that have long inhibited women's freedom and artistic expression in East Africa and the Great Lakes region. Through her practice, Kerunen investigates the impact of colonialism on African women’s artistry, which historically confined practices like weaving to functional purposes rather than recognizing them as expressions of artistic creation. Kerunen actively disrupts these narratives by recontextualizing traditional artistic techniques within contemporary art spaces. She works collaboratively with communities of women across Uganda to produce the handcrafted, woven, and dyed, and materials that appear in her installations and sculptures.Kerunen’s radical regeneration of techniques like embroidery, weaving, folding, coiling, sewing, and assemblage—skills she learned from her mother—celebrates a rich diversity of textile practices passed down through generations. Drawing on the wetland ecosystems of Nalubaale (Lake Victoria) and the Great Lakes region, she utilizes natural materials including dry banana fibers, raffia, sisal, palm leaves, stripped banana leaves, stripped sorghum stems, and reeds. These materials foster a deep engagement with the history, natural surroundings, and women’s communities of Uganda through a regenerative artistic process that recognizes the intersectionality of these elements while demonstrating that women’s liberation and protecting the earth’s natural environment are inextricably intertwined.For many years, Kerunen did not consider herself an artist because the artistry she felt drawn to was not taught in her school system. Her education favored a colonial perspective and was taught in English—a language she learned at the expense of her primary languages of Alur and Kebu, which are native to areas of Uganda and Congo. Kerunen’s commitment to honoring her heritage and the women she collaborates with is reflected in the use of Alur, Swahili, orLuganda in the titles of her works. Her choice to use multiple languages and dialects draws attention to the arbitrariness of geographic and ethnic boundaries imposed by colonialist and patriarchal narratives.Temporality is also a theme across her oeuvre; Kerunen’s work subverts the archaic idea that time spent producing art is wasted because the final product does not serve utilitarian purposes. Her artistic process relies on the cycles of life, growth, and renewal that the natural materials of her chosen mediums undergo throughout seasonal rhythms. The passage of time is a necessary component of her practice, which Kerunen has described as the “slow, deliberate dance” of her creations.Kerunen successfully advocated for and created the installation of Uganda’s inaugural pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale alongside artist Collin Sekajugo. Their collaboration, titled Radiance – They Dream in Time, which showcased their shared interest in deconstructing Western tropes about Africa and the othering of African art, received a Special Mention Award for best national participation. Kerunen returned to Venice in 2024 to curate Uganda’s pavilion for the 60th edition, titled WAN ACEL|TULIBAMU|TURIBAMWE|WE ARE ONE, presenting a kaleidoscopic view of sculpture, architecture, art, and artisanship. Her first one-artist exhibition in the United States, A NI EE (I AM HERE), was presented by Blum Gallery, Los Angeles in 2023. In 2024, Galerie Kandlhofer, Vienna presented the one-artist exhibition, Acaye Kerunen: I Am All These Women.Kerunen has also been selected for group exhibitions at Ars Belga, Brussels (2023) and the Barbican Center, London (2024), which showcased the intricate installation Ayelele (2023). She describes Ayelele, which is woven from raffia, palm leaves, and sisal, as “an expression of joy. Joy is many things, and I wanted to celebrate that with the work.” The artist graduated from the Islamic University in Uganda, Kampala with a BSc in Mass Communication, and earned a Diploma in Information Systems Management from Aptech, also located in Kampala, Uganda.Kerunen is currently involved in the musical theatre production I HAVE A DRUM (IHAD), a drum-driven performance celebrating and documenting Ingoma Nshya—the world-renowned Women Drummers of Rwanda. IHAD is a collaborative production between creative communities in Rwanda, Uganda, and Canada, and aims to actively remap women from the Great Lakes region of East and central Africa within international storytelling narratives. Kerunen designed the set, costumes, and a selection of the choreography for the performance, which is slated to go on tour in 2026. Read More Installation view, Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art, Feb 14 – May 26, 2024, Barbican Art Gallery, London © Jo Underhill / Barbican Art Gallery Acaye Kerunen, Ebiinu (She has come, Has she come? Is she coming?), 2023, raffia, stripped and hand-dyed palm leaves, stripped and dyed sorghum stems, twined sisal, 281 cm × 70 cm × 50 cm (9' 2-5/8" × 27-9/16" × 19-11/16") © Acaye Kerunen Acaye Kerunen, Ker Mon (Reign of Females), 2024, clay dyed Mutuba, woven Kalanami Mikeka, dyed and woven raffia, sisal, 172 cm × 108.5 cm × 16 cm (67-11/16" × 42-11/16" × 6-5/16") © Acaye Kerunen Acaye Kerunen, Waani Ee!, 2021, mixed media, 55 x 41 x 33 cm (21 5/8 x 16 1/8 x 13 in.) © Acaye Kerunen Acaye Kerunen, Eeh eeh, 2021, Mixed media, 70 x 56 x 72 cm (27 ½ 22 1/8 x 28 3/8 in.) © Acaye Kerunen Exhibitions View All On View Acaye Kerunen Neena, aan uthii Jan 15 – Feb 22, 2025 London Journal View All Films Acaye Kerunen in Venice Jun 13, 2024 Our Artists in Venice Exhibitions Our Artists in Venice 2024 Mar 26, 2024 Films Acaye Kerunen’s Interweaving Threads Oct 12, 2022 News Acaye Kerunen Joins Pace Gallery Sep 22, 2022 One-Artist Exhibitions Group Exhibitions Books and Catalogues Periodicals Close One-Artist Exhibitions Acaye Kerunen One Artist DatesBorn, Kampala, UgandaLives and works in Kampala, UgandaEducationIslamic University, Mbale, Uganda, BSCAptech, Information Systems Management, Diploma2025Acaye Kerunen: Neena, aan uthii, Pace Gallery, London, January 15–March 1, 2025.2024Acaye Kerunen: I Am All These Women, Galerie Kandlhofer, Vienna, June 20–September 6, 2024.2023Acaye Kerunen: A NI EE (I AM HERE), Blum Gallery, Los Angeles, July 1–August 12, 2023.Acaye Kerunen: Sacred Rain, RAM Galleri, Oslo, Norway, April 13–May 15, 2023.2021Acaye. E. Pamela Kerunen: Iwang Sawa, Afriart Gallery, Kampala, Uganda, September 18–October 28, 2021. Group Exhibitions Acaye Kerunen Group exhibitions 2024Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art, Barbican Center, London, February 13, 2024–May 26, 2024.2023The Many Faces of Self, Ars Belga, Brussels, April 19–May 19, 2023.2022Uganda National Pavilion: RADIANCE - THEY DREAM IN TIME, The Milk of Dreams, 59th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, April 23–November 27, 2022. Books and Catalogues Acaye Kerunen Books 2024Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art (exhibition catalogue). London: Barbican Centre, 2024: 226–227, illustrated.2022Hansen, Manuela. The Milk of Dreams (Il Latte Dei Sogni). First ed. Venezia: La Biennale Di Venezia, 2022: 156, 157, illustrated.Radiance: They Dream in Time (exhibition catalogue). Edited by Shaheen Merali. Milan: Skira Editore, 2022. Periodicals Acaye Kerunen Periodicals 2024"Acaye Kerunen Weaves Her Way Back to the Venice Biennale." Ocula, 15 February 2024. https://ocula.com/advisory/perspectives/acaye-kerunen-at-barbican/Freeman, Laura. "Unravel review — every room in this show will amaze you." The Times, 12 February 2024. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/unravel-review-every-room-in-this-show-will-amaze-you-p2f27b2sz.“Going up: textiles and art.” The I Paper, 13 February 2024.Kerunen, Acaye. "Acaye Kerunen Weaves Her Way Back to the Venice Biennale." Interview with Eva Fuchs. Ocula, 15 February 2024. https://ocula.com/advisory/perspectives/acaye-kerunen-at-barbican/.Searle, Adrian. "Textiles bear material witness to pain, politics and memory" (Barbican Centre exhibition review). The Guardian, 15 February 2024: 15, illustrated.“The Material world Exhibition highlights politics of textiles.” Financial Times, 13 February 2024."Unravel review — every room in this show will amaze you." The Times, 12 February 2024. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/unravel-review-every-room-in-this-show-will-amaze-you-p2f27b2sz2023"Acaye Kerunen: 'Iwang Sawa—In the Eye of Time'." The Courtald, 30 March 2023. https://courtauld.ac.uk/whats-on/acaye-kerunen-iwang-sawa-in-the-eye-of-time/2022“Acaye Kerunen and Collin Sekajugo: Radiance – They Dream in Time, Uganda Pavilion” (exhibition review). Whitewall, 2022. https://whitewall.art/whitewaller/venice/acaye-kerunen-and-collin-sekajugo-radiance-they-dream-in-time-uganda-pavilionDozier, Ayanna. “10 Artists Who Gained Representation with Major Galleries in 2022.” Artsy, 15 December 2022. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-10-artists-gained-representation-major-galleries-2022Greenberger, Alex. “Acaye Kerunen Joins Pace Gallery After Showing at Venice Biennale’s Award-Winning Ugandan Pavillion.” ARTnews, 23 September 2022. https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/acaye-kerunen-pace-blum-poe-galerie-kandlhofer-1234640236/Kemigisa, Jackline. “Ugandan Artists to ‘Dream in Time’ at this Year’s Venice Biennale.” (exhibition review). Okayafrica, 2022. https://www.okayafrica.com/venice-biennale-2022-africa/?rebelltitem=5#rebelltitem5Kerunen,Acaye. “Interview: Acaye Kerunen on Finding Beauty In Art, Being First To Venice Biennale & The Importance Of Taking Ugandan Art To The World” (exhibition review). Interview with Hadijjah Natasha Sebunya. The EA Scene, 7 March 2022. https://www.theeascene.com/interview-acaye-pamela-on-finding-beauty-in-art-being-first-to-biennale-the-importance-of-taking-ugandan-art-to-the-world/=Kerunen, Acaye. “Pamela Elizabeth Acaye Kerunen” (exhibition review). Interview with Matt Kayem. Africanah, 10 June 2021. https://africanah.org/pamela-elizabeth-acaye-kerunen/Robinson, Megan D. “Ugandan Artist Acaye Kerunen’s Storytelling of Heritage.” Art & Object, 17 October 2022. https://www.artandobject.com/news/ugandan-artist-acaye-kerunens-storytelling-heritageShaw, Anny and Kabir Jhala. “Major galleries sign Venice Biennale’s women artists—at last.” The Art Newspaper, 14 October 2022. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/10/14/major-galleries-sign-venice-biennales-women-artistsat-lastVancelette, Rachel. “Uganda participates for the first time as a national pavilion of the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale Di Venezia 2022.” 25A Magazine, 26 May 2022. https://issuu.com/25a_magazine/docs/june_25a_22_-_web/84“Venice Biennale: Uganda gets its first pavilion under the theme ‘Radiance – They Dream in Time,’ with artists Acaye Kerunen and Collin Sekajugo” (exhibition review). Onart, 1 March 2022. https://www.onart.media/en/news/venice-biennale-uganda-gets-its-first-pavilion-under-the-theme-radiance-they-dream-in-time-with-artists-acaye-kerunen-and-collin-sekajugo/