Kelly Mugisha Ndayisaba: Now Seen

Now Seen was an exhibition celebrating the vibrant dance culture of the Banyamulenge. Kelly Mugisha Ndayisaba’s body of work paid homage to her ancestral Mulenge culture and captured the essence of traditional dance through painting and photography.

Banyamulenge (which translates to people of Mulenge) are a pastoral community who have lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for over a century yet remain unrecognised by the Congolese government.

For Banyamulenge, dance provides a way to preserve cultural traditions and ancestral histories, passed down through generations. By practicing and performing dance traditions, Banyamulenge can maintain their identity and prevent cultural erasure.

Kelly Mugisha Ndayisaba’s large-scale paintings contained strokes of black paint created by dancing upon each canvas. These works, along with the photographic series of the artist captured mid-dance, embodied the rhythmic and emotive moments intrinsic to Mulenge dance.

Now Seen highlighted the rich cultural tapestry and unique identity of the Mulenge community and culture that may not be widely known or understood. Through the universal language of art and dance, Kelly Mugisha Ndayisaba provided a meaningful and personal exploration of her cultural heritage and ancestral roots.

Artist Biography

Kelly Mugisha Ndayisaba is an interdisciplinary artist currently based in Melbourne. She was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and spent her most formative years in Albury-Wodonga. Art has always been an integral part of her life, having inherited this passion from her mother, who encouraged Kelly to pursue making things with her hands and exploring her creativity. Kelly is currently studying a Bachelor of Psychology at Victoria University and has committed to pursuing creative endeavours by integrating elements of her heritage and culture into her artistic practice.