Theresa Musoke (Ugandan, born circa 1944)
Untitled, undated
Signed ‘Theresa Musoke’ (lower right)
Mixed media on canvas
101.8 x 86.6 cm
Ksh 220,000–330,000
(US$ 2,000–3,000)
Sold Ksh 258,280
Provenance: direct from the artist
Theresa Musoke is best known for her expressive portrayals of African wildlife, using a range of mediums to develop imagery. In this painting, Musoke’s sensitivity to the nature of her subject is captured perfectly in the fluidity of movement between the tightly packed antelope as they merge in the light.
Her work first began to receive attention while she was an undergraduate student at the Margaret Trowell School of Fine Arts in Kampala, at a time when very few women were studying in higher education. Musoke then received a scholarship to complete a Masters in Printmaking at the Royal College of Art in London. On receiving her postgraduate diploma, Musoke returned to live in East Africa, where she was based in Nairobi for many years. In 1965 she became the first female artist to have a solo exhibition in post-Independence Kenya. She continued to exhibit frequently in local galleries such as Paa ya Paa, Gallery Watatu and African Heritage.
Musoke has been a highly influential figure in Kenyan and Ugandan art, not only for her celebrated visual practice, but also as a teacher. She has taught Art at Margaret Trowell School of Fine Arts, Kenyatta University and the International School of Kenya.