MUTUBA
A Journey Through Transformation
Lubugo, also known as bark cloth, is one of Uganda’s oldest and most significant textile traditions. Made from the inner bark of the Mutuba tree (Ficus natalensis), its production is a labour-intensive process that has been passed down through generations. The bark is softened through boiling and pounded with wooden mallets to stretch and fuse its fibres. The raw organic material is transformed into a supple, non-woven textile, used in clothing and traditional ceremonies such as burials and weddings.
The process itself speaks to both vulnerability and resilience. Once stripped of its bark, the Mutuba tree is left exposed and fragile, requiring careful wrapping in banana leaves to heal and regenerate. This cyclical act of harvesting and renewal embodies an enduring sustainability that is deeply embedded in the tradition, ensuring that the tree continues to provide for future generations. The making of Lubugo is not merely a craft, but an ecological and cultural dialogue between humans and nature, a testament to practices that sustain both material and community.
MUTUBA draws inspiration and creative stimulus from the process of barkcloth making to create a multidisciplinary body of work, bringing together film, live performance, photography, and an installation of material artefacts. The different elements can stand alone or be curated as a coherent body of performance and exhibition, depending on the space and audience.
The objects presented trace the transformation from tree to textile, revealing the material’s role in both ceremonial and everyday life. The accompanying film, shot in Uganda, captures the physicality of the process, the skilled labour of the makers, and the surrounding landscape, situating bark cloth within its broader ecological and cultural context.
Antonio Bukhar uses movement to express the themes of transformation, endurance, and tradition through the body. Through his choreography, the physical gestures of making - stripping, boiling, pounding, and stretching - are reinterpreted as a metaphor for resilience, both human and material. His performance asks audiences to consider the labour behind the practice, the rhythm of creation, and the ways in which cultural practices are embodied and carried forward.
The work invites you to reflect on the intersections between tradition and innovation, material and body, loss and regeneration. How does a textile carry the weight of history? What does it mean to sustain a practice in an era of rapid material consumption? How does the processes of making shape our understanding of resilience?
The research has developed different strands of exploration. DYE on BARK focuses more on the eco-friendly characteristics of Lubugo, using natural dyes from plant-based elements to create visual bodies of colourful works, which are reinterpreted through movement.
While MIA -Mutuba Intergenerational Arts digs deeper into the communal and intergenerational nature of the practice by inviting three young performers, moving from a solo to a quartet. It looks at how the adult body expresses memory and loss, while the younger performers bring curiosity and intuition, to represent the future as the living present on stage. Showcasing skill and knowledge are transmitted happening in the NOW during the performance.
Lastly is LUBUGO creation, is a choreographic repertoire performed by students at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
Insights into all the different elements, with videos and images, are available in the Portfolio page.
LEAD ARTIST & PROJECT CREATOR - ANTONIO SSEBUUMA
Antonio Bukhar Ssebuuma is an acclaimed interdisciplinary artist from Uganda and a lecturer at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. His movement practice blends hip-hop, Afro-fusion, and traditional Ugandan dance, engaging with themes of self-actualisation through creative expression and human–nature oneness. His work spans performance, choreography, and community engagement, with artistic projects reaching across four continents.
CURATOR - COURTNEY SPENCER
Courtney Spencer is an Australian artist, curator, and collaborator based in Yorkshire. She works with artists to tell their stories, share their work, and engage with audiences. Her practice examines how art shapes collective narratives.
