Stacey Gillian Abe, a Ugandan contemporary artist, captures the multifaceted experience of being a Black woman through an autobiographical lens. Born in Kampala in 1990 and holding a BA in Art and Industrial Design from Kyambogo University, Abe has crafted a deeply personal yet universally resonant body of work that navigates the intersections of identity, gender, spirituality, and cultural mysticism. Using a variety of mediums—including photography, sculpture, installation, performance, and painting—she imbues her pieces with a surreal, mystical quality that both invites and unsettles, challenging conventional narratives and stereotypes.
Abe’s practice is a form of autobiographical documentation. Her work draws from her own experiences and observations, reflecting the strength and complexity of the female psyche. The imaginary spaces she creates are infused with surreal, otherworldly elements that blur the lines between physical and spiritual realms. In her words, “I personally believe we are spiritual beings and that there exists no hard and fast distinction between the spiritual and physical (or material) world.” Abe’s pieces explore this spiritual fluidity, using her own life and memories to challenge how Black women are seen and portrayed, while offering an alternative depiction that emphasizes resilience, adaptability, and the inherent strength within the mind.
Her work features a rich tapestry of materials and techniques, from ceramics to fibers, glass, and textures, highlighting her experimental and metaphorical approach. The use of hand-crafted methods—tying, binding, stitching, and layering—reflects her interest in the tactile and intentional process, underscoring a sense of both vulnerability and power. These processes parallel the mental work of reclaiming and reconstructing one’s identity, further embedding each piece with personal meaning and a nuanced narrative that resists easy interpretation.
Abe’s exploration of the Black body in her work is crucial to her mission of reframing historical narratives and challenging colonial perspectives. She uses her art to shift these narratives and focus on the intellectual and spiritual dimensions often overlooked in depictions of Black women. In her work, the Black body becomes a vessel for self-assurance, poise, and unapologetic presence. Abe states, “The Black body in my work is important in reframing history and changing narratives around being Black. It is re-phrasing conversations around a Black woman’s position in society now.”
The autobiographical nature of her work is a form of resistance to the depersonalized, monolithic portrayals of Blackness often seen in Western art. Instead, Abe’s creations are filled with introspective, intimate moments, grounded in her own relationships, memories, and emotions. She conjures surreal, dreamlike spaces that question and expand conventional narratives surrounding Black identity, ultimately producing an immersive experience for her audience. Within these spaces, Abe’s figures embody self-confidence and emotional depth, bridging personal experience with broader conversations about identity and history.
Abe’s pieces have been exhibited internationally at prestigious venues, including 1:54 Fair in New York and London, Being Her(e) at KAURU Contemporary in Johannesburg, the Stellenbosch Trienniale in Cape Town, IRL with Unit London, and The Power of My Hands at Musée d’art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. She has garnered attention from major publications such as The Independent and The New York Times, and she was recognized among Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 Creatives in 2018.
Through her artistry, Stacey Gillian Abe not only interrogates but also celebrates the complexities of Black womanhood, affirming the resilience and inner strength that have defined her journey. Her work stands as an invitation to viewers to reconsider inherited narratives and to recognize the multiplicity of perspectives within the Black female experience.
