Inspired by the work of potters, basket weavers, and other artisans in the Ugandan village where he grew up, mixed-media artist and jewelry designer Sanaa Gateja uses raffia, wood, and banana fiber as well as discarded man-made materials to construct large abstract works that combine elements of installation, sculpture, and textiles. His innovative technique of fashioning beads made from recycled paper earned him the nickname “The Bead King” and has provided employment for thousands of local women since he incorporated this process into his practice in 1990. Gateja’s work has been exhibited throughout Africa and beyond, including at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair and FNB Art Joburg. In the 1980s, Gateja fled Uganda’s civil war and lived in Kenya, Italy, and the United Kingdom, where he studied at Goldsmiths before returning to his native country. His use of local, recycled materials in his work ties him to fellow contemporary African artists working with repurposed manufactured goods, such as El Anatsui.