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Sanaa Gateja, “Arise” (2023), paper beads on barkcloth, 57 ⁷⁄₈ × 66 ¹⁄₈ inches (image courtesy Karma and Sanaa Gateja)

Sanaa Gateja: Nourishment

Sanaa Gateja’s dazzling constructions are made from thousands of hand-made paper beads, which he sews onto sheets of bark cloth, creating compositions that mix abstract patterns and organic motifs. His practice reflects both his roots and his global travels, fusing the technique practiced in his native Uganda of pounding tree bark into pliable sheets with the process of rolling paper beads that he encountered while living in London, eventually bringing it back to Uganda where other artisans have picked up the approach. Nourishment, Gateja’s first solo show in LA, takes place at the same time as his participation in the Ugandan Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.