For its inaugural presentation, Tiger GalleryTM is delighted to present RESOLUTIONS, a solo exhibition of new works by Godwin Champs Namuyimba. Born in Masaka, Uganda in 1989, Namuyimba is known for his intricately layered paintings that explore identity and race via a postcolonial African lens. Through his portrayals of family and friends in domestic settings, Namuyimba transforms the quotidian into inspirational, aspirational, and fantastical depictions of an Afrofuturist world.

Featuring five large paintings and eight small portraits, RESOLUTIONS explores the construction of identity in relation to race and individuality through the human form. When looking for subjects, Namuyimba turns to his immediate surroundings. Family, friends, and acquaintances become sources of inspiration as the artist considers his vision of Afrofuturism. Expertly extracting singularity and poignancy from mundane moments, he paints his subjects with strong gazes, confident postures, and bold attire, placing them in dream-like surroundings to represent a future of excellence.

In Daily Routine, painted in 2022, a lone figure lounges on a wooden chair, wearing a brown spacesuit - a symbol of supremacy, science, and technology - and Onitsuka Tiger sneakers. With a gold halo accentuating his head, the figure gazes directly at the viewer with assurance and poise, exuding excellence and prosperity. Cascading around him are vibrantly hued faces and symbols that allude to his African heritage, elevating the everyday interior scene into a whimsical land of imaginative possibilities. Namuyimba's signature layering technique creates rich strata of underpainting that gives rise to a mesmerizing viewing experience. What initially appear to be solid blocks of color on the surface ultimately reveal dynamic undercurrents of shifting hues that subtly seep through. This can also be seen in his series of smaller portraits. While each painting consists of an individual set against an ostensibly white background, closer observation detects abstract strokes of bright colors that filter through to catch the light, creating beautifully varied hues.

Living and working in Uganda, Namuyimba’s vision offers new perspectives on history and the future. Through his figurative painting practice, he analyses the ways in which race informs our perception of humanity. Complex racial and social issues are woven into each painting’s narrative, as he considers how he can enrich the discourse between Afrocentrism and Eurocentrism.

Namuyimba earned his BFA from Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda in 2017. His work has been exhibited internationally and has been the subject of solo exhibitions at Galerie Marguo in Paris; Zidoun Bossuyt Gallery in Luxembourg; East-Projects in New York; Ars Belga in Brussels; and Gallery Steinsland & Berliner in Stockholm. Namuyimba's work is held in the collections of MUDAM - The Contemporary Art Museum of Luxembourg; The W Art Foundation in Qingdao, Shanghai, and Hong Kong; the Orebro City Library in Sweden; and The Bunker Art Space in West Palm Beach, Florida.