Lot 43

Fred Mutebi (Ugandan, born 1967)
A Dream at the Pealing Place, circa 1990
Signed ‘Mutebi Freddie’ (lower right)
Woodcut print on paper, ed 1/3
42 x 57.7
US$ 1,200 – 2,000
Provenance: private collection
Sold US$ 2,818

Fred Mutebi began printmaking while studying at Makerere University’s Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art between 1990 – 1993. In 2003 he was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship for a residency in Memphis, USA, which he used to master the multi-colour progressive reduction method of woodcut printmaking he is celebrated as a master of today and which has earned him global acclaim and recognition. His work has been exhibited in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Japan and the United States.

Thematically, Mutebi’s work explores the nuances and complexities of Ugandan life, intricately weaving elements of indigenous folklore with the vibrant tapestry of daily existence to illuminate the profound interconnectedness of the human experience.

A passionate social activist and environmentalist, Mutebi was especially committed to advocating for community youth engagement and artistic mentorship. He founded ‘Let Art Talk’, an organisation that uses art as an educational vehicle to teach crucial life skills and open up essential dialogues by empowering youth to interpret the challenges facing them through art, and to which he contributed a percentage of the proceeds of all sales of his work.