Muramuzi John Bosco: Zanzibar – Clichés and Contrasts

In August 2025, Muramuzi John Bosco will join the Forster Gallery as Artist in Residence. To prepare for his upcoming exhibition, he spent several days traveling across the island – sketching, taking photographs, observing, and collecting ideas. The artist from Kampala has been working with the Forster Gallery for nearly a year. Now, his focus turns to a new series: Zanzibar as motif.

Muramuzi, your past work has dealt intensively with Uganda. Now your focus shifts to Zanzibar. What inspired you most during your time on the island?
First of all, I want to thank you for the opportunity to be here! I had heard so much about Zanzibar – now I’ve had the chance to see it for myself: the old town of Stone Town, the markets, Jozani Forest, the beaches. What fascinated me most were the contrasts.

How do you capture your impressions?
I record them through notes, sketches, and photos – but also in my memory. I take it all back to Uganda, and from there, in the studio, the painting begins. I work consciously with that distance.

Your work often includes powerful symbols. What elements define Zanzibar for you?
Even before coming here, I spent time researching Zanzibar online – and searching for clichés. Beaches, palm trees, carved doors. But once I arrived, I discovered so much more: the coexistence of cultures and religions, the closeness between tourism and tradition. Bikinis and hijabs, kite surfers and ox carts – Zanzibar is full of contrasts!

What stood out to you in particular?
How strongly Zanzibar is shaped by Islam. I noticed that almost only boys swim in the sea, while the girls sit on the shore. And the incredible variety of plants – even just in the garden of the gallery. I look closely – at colours, forms, transitions.

Will your colour palette change for this series?
Yes, I think the Zanzibar series will have a different palette – but I don’t want to reveal too much yet. Many details only emerge once I’m in front of the canvas.

What does this residency mean to you?
It’s a new artistic challenge. I’m really looking forward to returning, preparing the exhibition – and to the opening on 21 August 2025 (NEW DATE).

Thank you, Muramuzi John Bosco. We’re very excited to share your perspective on Zanzibar at the Forster Gallery.

More about Muramuzi

Muramuzi John Bosco (*1991, Uganda) is a rising contemporary artist based in Buloba, near Kampala. He holds a diploma in Industrial Art and Design from the YMCA Comprehensive Institute in Kampala.
In his work, Muramuzi engages deeply with his home environment. His visual language moves between abstraction and figuration and is often marked by a restrained, mostly monochromatic palette. With subtle precision, he reflects on themes such as nature, cultural identity, and the architectural and social transformations of urban life – particularly from the perspective of the urban working and lower-middle classes.
Muramuzi creates complex cityscapes and everyday scenes that reveal not only structural dynamics but also emotional density. His work has been exhibited in Uganda, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Kenya. In 2023, he also took part in the PRIZM Art Fair in Miami, USA.