Aksanti welcomes you to his solo show.
Through this personal and sentimental exhibition, Aksanti B. (2003) unveils the emotional marks and lived experiences of displaced people, those who have been forced to leave everything behind and navigate the challenge of beginning again. It explores how immigrants and displaced people strive to adapt to unfamiliar societies, learning new languages, adopting new customs, and reshaping their identities just to fit in, often at the cost of hiding their true selves.
Squatters is a personal reflection of his journey before and after the war and sharing the nine-year experience spent in Nakivale refugee camp, and of the quiet struggles that often go unseen. The pieces in the exhibition reveal the hidden layers of what it means to survive, to mask pain behind smiles, and carry memories that are too heavy to speak aloud. It’s about how we pretend, not out of choice, but out of fear. Fear of judgment, of exclusion, of never truly belonging. Some of the pieces capture the resilience and endurance that many people carry on their shoulders.
“This exhibition is not about life perfection. It’s about the rawness. It’s about embracing vulnerability and sharing fragments of who I am and how I see the world, how I carry trauma, and how I slowly find healing through self-acceptance.” Aksanti
Aksanti Bafunyempaka Bienfait B.2003 is a self-taught contemporary artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo who has lived as a refugee in Uganda since 2016. From a young age, Aksanti found comfort in painting a sanctuary where colours replaced words, and creativity became his refuge. Growing up amid conflicts, systemic injustice, and human rights violations, his perspectives on life were shaped by resilience and survival. In 2016, he was forced to flee his homeland due to war and escalating insecurity, seeking refuge in Uganda.
In the confines of a refugee camp, his artistic vision fully emerged and took shape. Painting became more than a form of expression; it became his lifeline medium through which he could reclaim his identity, confront his trauma, and give voice to the silent struggles of displaced lives. Aksanti’s artistic process mirrors his search for freedom and belonging. His work is raw and deeply introspective, characterised by spontaneous, emotion-driven brushstrokes. Each stroke represents his yearning for freedom, both on the canvas and in his journey as a refugee. It is a powerful testament to resilience, hope, connecting people, and turning pain into a universal call for justice.
