By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa, Umoja Standard.
Kampala, Uganda: Tuesday, 28th October 2025 marked the climax of the “BEST OF ME” Art Exhibition at the Makerere University Gallery organized by The Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts (MTSIFA). This showcased artworks by alumni and final year students of Makerere art school in different forms like painting, printmaking, drawing, Ceramics, mixed media, and textile.
This not only showed beautiful creativity but also the thought process in the creation process and idea generation.
Officiating at the climax of the Exhibition, the Guest of honor, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, stressed the importance of fine art principles in her leadership role.
“The principles of fine art, just put everything in perspective… If you follow perspective, if you follow interpretation, if you follow the history, because we also did the history of art.”
She attributed her success in various portfolios to her fine art background. “I’ve been able to serve in different portfolios, Minister of State for Defense, Minister of State for Microfinance, mobilizing people to learn how to save and borrow and pay back.
“Nankabirwa encouraged students to believe in themselves, emphasizing that “an artist must be bold. You’ve taken me through the exhibition, you have to be bold with precision, determination to complete the work.”
She urged artists to think beyond conventional boundaries asking them to contribute to the designs of robots, “Can’t we have a storyed bus? Move out of the ordinary, you can do it, you can be more creative.”
On the issue of affirmative action, which theme was showcased in some of the works, Nankabirwa noted that while the girl child still suffers more, the boy child also needs support, bearing in mind that these daughters will get married to men, not to daughters. Her statement was inspired by a painting that sought consideration of a boy child.
Dr. Venny Nakazibwe, who represented the Dean of the Margaret Trowel School of Industrial and Fine Art (MTSIFA), Dr. Amanda Tumusiime, expressed pride and joy in witnessing the culmination of students’ creative journeys at the exhibition. She stated that each artwork tells a story of hard work, mentorship, and personal discovery.
She acknowledged the support of leaders, including the Principal of the College of Engineering Design, Art and Technology, Professor Moses Musinguzi, and thanked lecturers and staff for upholding the school’s mission.
The Dean observed the importance of creativity in shaping communities and inspiring change, noting that the exhibition bridges academia and the creative industry.
One of the curators, who is also a PhD student, Isabella, took the guests through a brief introduction of the Exhibition while highlighting the importance of collaboration between alumni and students in growing the art community.
“Our alumni and students’ collaboration is very vital to growing the artist’s community here because it highlights the value of leadership, collaboration, and lifelong learning,” said Isabella.
The exhibition showcased a mix of undergraduate and master’s students’ work, aiming to inspire current students by demonstrating how art education translates into real-world practice. She noted, they set up this exhibition specifically to inspire the new generation.
MTSIFA is the oldest art school in East Africa, under the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology ( CEDAT), mandated to safeguard Ugandan cultural heritage through art, and this involves using local materials, local subject matter, and local experiences as explored in this exhibition.
The four-day exhibition took place at MTSIFA Art Gallery / Institute of Heritage Conservation and Restoration, (IHCR).
