Sanaa Gateja Art

Unique piece paper beads hand-stitched onto Ugandan bark cloth backing. “Life is a journey with a purpose. The message I bring is visually African. The themes I paint are universally human.” Sanaa Gateja Sanaa Gateja marshals thousands of beads made from sustainable sources of paper, subverting the traditional glass source material. A staggering array of shapes, colours, and sizes compose his intricate wallhangings, sculptures and wearable art. In utilising cloth made from bark harvested from Ficus trees which had been largely reserved for major cultural ceremonies, Gateja also challenges revered social beliefs. Sanaa defends its incorporation in informal and decorative applications and the bark cloth forms the structural spine of his wall hangings. One of his recent projects exhibited at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York featured an over-sized woman’s necklace and a panel made of printed material and literature recycled from President Obama...