Fred Kato Mutebi

Fred Kato Mutebi (1967) is a native of Uganda who is active in print making. His work has traditionally celebrated Uganda’s natural beauty and also focuses on the need to preserve that beauty. Mutebi creates works that carry social and political messages as well as rely on anecdotes and stories to capture those messages. His primary mediums are printing and painting. He has found a method that combines the two to his satisfaction, namely relief painting. Since his graduation from Makerere School of Industrial and Fine Arts, Mutebi has pursued a freelance career as an illustrator, graphic and textile designer. His favorite medium is multi-colour woodcut-print on paper. Using his particular method, known as the 'progressive reduction method', he is unable to produce more than ten prints of the same composition. He developed an unmistakable technique with a wide pallet of blues, reds, browns, greens, and grays. Through the exaggeration of natural forms in his prints he is able to reveal their drama and beauty. Some of his subjects can be very disturbing – such as his rendition of figures revealing humanity's fragility in the face of catastrophes, in particular those faced by Africans in recent years. However, the tenderness by which these topics are treated always leave room for hope. Mutebi exploits the narrative qualities of the graphic medium, telling stories about important social events that happen in Uganda as well as recording characteristic images of his environment, creating a sort of visual history of his surroundings. (taken over from http://www.inter-visions.com/FredMutebi.aspUsing art as a tool to empower people to explore and talk about the challenges facing their communities, Fred set up Let Art Talk, an organization that helps open up the dialogue on issues such as poverty, child labour and gender by engaging the mainly young people he works with in interpreting the subjects through art. Fred is also aware of the need to involve the elders within the communities, getting them to share their wisdom and experiences, and together work towards affecting positive change. Committed to the success of the organisation fifty percent of the proceeds from a sale of Fred’s artwork goes into the Let Art Talk organisation to help set up a program, buy materials or fund a trip. https://fredmutebi.wordpress.com and https://www.facebook.com/FredMutebiFred Mutebi is also involved in BOTFA (Bukomansimbi Organic Tree Farmers Association) and MUTI (Management Union of Trees International) to revitalize and promote the use of indigenous bark cloth.