Made of steel

Kitibwa Derrick , 2022 , Kampala

Noun. /stil/ 1[uncountable] a strong, hard metal that is made of a mixture of iron and carbon the iron and steel industry the frame is made of steel. Oxford dictionary

The artist picked inspiration from the agility of steel as a material. Steel is a very strong material that resists pressure, a strong material that is durable which can withstand harsh conditions for a very long time. The artwork strikes an ironic controversy of its identity as its name is made of steel and its actual material make up is aluminum a weaker and softer material to steel. Furthermore, the bold confident look that is portrayed on the face of the artwork reveals the strong resilience women possess even when they are exposed to extreme conditions.
It must be remembered that women were the victims of most of the evils that came with the Covid 19 lockdown and despite they were able to hold on and they became strong pillars in the existence of their families where the men couldn’t. For example, due to the sake of their children, women found themselves staying in abusive marriages because they couldn’t leave their children. This was a huge sacrifice as they were subjected to very many abuses from their spouses. In some countryside homes, with the fear of hunger striking their homes, women engaged themselves more in digging in order to help provide for their families, going stone quarry mines in order to earn a penny etc. their diverse workload they encountered showed how really strong and significant they were during the lockdown. The actions that were brought about by shameful perpetuators that led to a rise of early pregnancies in children also despite all the girls remained strong and when schools where open the government and schools gave them a chance to study with their infants, some completely dropped out but the fact the
majority returned to school clearly indicates the strong urge to focus on what’s next rather what happened in the past.
Women as being perceived as a weaker gender and being second to men, clearly portrayed there strong natural instincts they possess in trying situations and despite all these happenings, they, for a better cause left this dwell in the past and have looked forward for what’s best for them moving forward

  • Kitibwa Derrick
  • Printmaking
  • Aluminum waste
  • 60cm x 40cm
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