Charlene Komuntale

Charlene Komuntale, a Ugandan painter, endeavors to challenge the male gaze and exalt womanhood through her artworks.  

Biography of Charlene Komuntale

Charlene Komuntale was born in 1991 and currently resides and works in Kampala, Uganda.

In 2015, she graduated from Limkokwing University in Malaysia with an Honors Bachelor's degree in Animation. As the artist mentioned, during that time, she developed a passion for concept art and digital painting.

Following graduation, Charlene Komuntale embarked on a freelance career as an artist in Uganda, specializing in portraiture and illustrations for both individuals and companies.

In 2020, she received longlist recognition for the Mukumbya Musoke Art Prize, a biennial award dedicated to acknowledging and supporting talented visual artists aged between 20 and 45 in Uganda.

Komuntale participated in the Silhouette Projects Residency Program from March to June 2021. Additionally, she served as an artist-in-residence at The Mill in Adelaide, Australia, from January to February 2023.

In 2023, she hosted her first solo exhibition titled "Sit with Me - The Diary of a Free Thinker" at Afriart Gallery. The artist has also participated in group exhibitions, including "Eastern Voices: Contemporary Art from East Africa" at Addis Fine Art in London (2023), "Shapes of Water" at Afriart Gallery (2023), "Sanaa Exhibition" at The Mill in Adelaide (2023), and "Where the Wild Things Are" at Afriart Gallery (2022).

Charlene Komuntale's Art Style

In her ongoing series "Not Fragile" and "No Fake News," Komuntale depicts predominantly black African women. The content is deeply personal but is conveyed in a manner that resonates universally, drawing inspiration from her own experiences while also being informed by the shared experiences of women in her surroundings.  

“
I want my work to be an archive of the human experience, a visual song of remembrance. Through painting in this way we can see how every story is necessary, and in future years we can all marvel at how far humanity has come. They can become a guide for us to see the urgency in what needs to change.
Charlene Komuntale for Shado Mag

The women she portrays have their heads adorned with various elements, crafting poetic yet impactful narratives around a universally relatable figure. Initially, the artworks evoke a dreamy, peaceful, and serene atmosphere, but upon closer inspection, potent, empowering, and unapologetic messages emerge.  

The prevailing, male-centric views regarding women's roles and the presumed innate capabilities and constraints imposed on female bodies are undergoing evaluation and re-examination. The juxtaposition of various elements introduces a compelling asymmetry between self-awareness and the (male-centric) scrutiny from others.  

Intimacy, tenderness, vulnerability, and female beauty do not imply fragility. Instead, they are associated with strength and unapologetic confidence. Through her digital paintings, Komuntale dismantles patriarchal narratives influenced by culture, religion, and politics. Her work serves as a platform for inquiry, interrogation, and the envisioning of diverse futures.

The information on this page was automatically generated from open sources on the Internet. If you are the owner, its representative, or the person to whom this information relates and you wish to edit it – you may claim your ownership by contacting us and learn how it works for Artists.
Similar Artists