The Yellow Jerrycan

Raised in Uganda to a Ugandan father and Rwandan mother, Sekajugo addresses this dual identity in his work. With this background, he seeks to counter forces of enthnocentrism by drawing on a variety of cultural sources. The artist identifies recycling as a significant part of his work, and therefore sources local materials such as polypropylene from food sacs, which he feels “denote the seemingly endless need for humanitarian aid in poverty stricken and refugee-hosting countries like Uganda” as well as consumerism more generally. As an artist whose practice is rooted in community development, Sekajugo is passionate about engaging local and international communities in conversation around Uganda’s most crucial issues, including education standards, public safety, healthcare, and environmental protection, among others, as the country’s fast-growing population comes into conflict with the country’s lack of public resources. The Yellow Jerrycan is composed of a photograph of a performance enacted by the artist, with acrylic additions, collaged onto a polypropylene background mounted on canvas. The artist considers his artwork to be "performative and interactive.” All the pieces begin with a performance by the artist that he photographs, then prints, cutting out the desired image and collaging it onto polypropylene. The mask painted over the artist’s face is indicative of his dual identity and never feeling as if he belongs in either Rwanda or Uganda.