'SONG OF LAWINO'
ELIAS MUNG-ORA
Reception: Thurs., Feb.. 13, 4-6pm
Duration: Jan. 27- Feb. 21, 2025
Location: The Yang Family University Art Gallery (Landini Center for Fine and Performing Arts)
300 North 7th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47809
Hours: M-F 11am-4pm, open until 6pm on Thursdays
All ISU Exhibitions/Talks are free and open to the public. This means family and friends are welcome.:)
Artist: ELIAS MUNG-ORA
Curators: Tanmaya Bingham and Colleen Haas
Courtesy of: Montague Contemporary, New York, NY
About:
'Song of Lawino,' a solo exhibition by Kenyan artist Elias Mung'ora, draws inspiration from and takes its title from Okot p’Bitek's seminal 1966 poem, which expresses a woman’s lament over her husband’s adoption of Western ways. Through this body of mixed media artworks, Mung'ora explores the enduring effects of colonialism on contemporary society.
Mung'ora's work combines archival photographs and historical documents from the Tumutumu Scottish Mission with his family’s photographs and excerpts from 'Song of Lawino.' This fusion highlights the missionary influence on his own family history. Raised in a Presbyterian household actively involved in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa—originally founded as the East Africa Scottish Mission—Mung'ora seeks to reconcile the complexities of growing up within these intertwined cultural narratives.
Mung'ora is a perceptive observer of lived spaces and their memories. His artistic practice offers a window into everyday life in Nairobi, capturing fleeting cityscapes as well as deeply personal moments. Through his canvases, Mung'ora reveals traces of past lives and histories, skillfully juxtaposing the fragmented urban landscapes with the social dynamics of their inhabitants. A member of Brush Tu, a Nairobi-based artists' collective, he has showcased his work in numerous exhibitions, including The Ghost in The Machine at Montague Contemporary in 2020.
'Song of Lawino' invites viewers to reflect on the intricate layers of cultural identity and heritage, offering a powerful exploration of the personal and collective impacts of colonial history.