Sarah Ndagire

Barkcloth: A Living Canvas
2025-26 Project Grant

Barkcloth: A Living Canvas is a seven-day visual arts installation at the Dubuque Museum of Art exploring Lubugo, the traditional Ugandan barkcloth made from the mutuba tree, as a medium for cultural expression, ecological storytelling, and wearable sculpture. Sarah Ndagire will lead the project in collaboration with Paris-based Ugandan fashion designer and visual artist Stella Atal, who will travel to Iowa to participate in the exhibition and deliver a public artist talk and Q&A. The installation will feature Stella’s barkcloth garments and a looping video documenting barkcloth harvesting and preparation, curated and adapted for gallery presentation by Ndagire. Outreach through AfriWell Hub, the museum, and community partners will ensure broad and inclusive community access. The project expands visual art narratives in Iowa and serves as a pilot for a future traveling exhibition.