On Saturday evening, the usually busy stretch of Old Portbell Road took on a different rhythm. A soft glow spilled out of the newly opened Oikos Gallery and Interiors, where visitors moved slowly from room to room, taking in an arresting blend of Ugandan and Ethiopian art, handcrafted furniture, and reimagined African antiques. It was a free-viewing affair, but it felt more like a cultural gathering, complete with drinks, bites, and the mellow sound of the Adungu, whose musician threaded Ugandan folk melodies with influences from across the continent.
Inside, the space was curated with intention: sculpted bronze and wooden masks, vibrant contemporary canvases, antique-inspired ceramic bowls, and meticulously restored furniture pieces that doubled as art. The blend was deliberate, an aesthetic philosophy rooted in heritage but adapted for modern living.
The vision behind this new cultural space comes from an Ethiopian aunt-niece duo, Selamawit Alene and Dorina De Vita, whose family history in art and design stretches back decades.
‘I have been in this business for almost 21 years,’ Selamawit said. ‘I studied interior design, and fortunately, we come from a family of furniture designers. My sister Saba Alene founded St. George Gallery in Addis Ababa 34 years ago, and I joined her for 21 years. That’s where my passion comes from. In 2019, I opened Golla Art Gallery in Addis Ababa, which I now own.’
Dorina, now based in Kampala, first opened an Afro-inspired handcraft shop, slowly planting the seeds that would later grow into Oikos Gallery and Interiors.
‘We both collect art,’ Selamawit explains. ‘We really love art. So, when Dorina started her business here and I visited her, we decided it was time to create a gallery in Uganda.’
But for the duo, this is not just about exporting Ethiopian art to another African capital. It is about cultivating a Pan-African platform rooted deeply in authenticity.
‘Africa has so much variety, culture, history, and craft,’ Selamawit says. ‘But most of us Africans do not appreciate our things. We do not appreciate our art, we do not appreciate our handicraft. So, we decided to convert antique things into modern, useful furniture. Because when you see antique pieces, you cannot use them; they are beautiful but not comfortable. So, we reimagine them to fit modern living.’
Uganda meets Ethiopia
The gallery’s debut collection features a curated combination of Ugandan and Ethiopian pieces, with plans to expand more broadly across the continent.
‘We have a lot of good Ugandan artists here. We do not want to have only Ethiopian work. Africa is big. So, we start with Ugandan and Ethiopian artists, but the plan is to bring in artists from across the continent,’ Selamawit says.
While they brought selected works from Ethiopia, the founders are keen for Oikos to become a place where Ugandan talent can shine.
‘Our main aim is to promote Ugandan artists,’ Selamawit insists. ‘We already have a gallery in Addis, but here, we want to uplift Ugandan talent because Uganda is a beautiful country with so much potential in art.’
The founders are also clear about what sets their gallery apart in a market sometimes undercut by replicas and misrepresented works.
‘Authenticity is essential for us,’ Dorina De Vita emphasized. ‘We do not want duplicates. Whatever we are selling here, we give a certificate of authenticity. That is the difference. We want Ugandan art buyers to trust what they buy.’
One of the gallery’s most striking displays is a massive polished tree trunk, carved into a sculptural piece that sits like a throne in the centre of the room. It is the kind of statement piece that invites questions, especially about whether such large trees are being felled for art.
Dorina is quick to clarify: ‘That big trunk, maybe people think we cut it. No, it is not like that. When Lubowa Hill was being cleared for the construction of the hospital, they cut it. So, we collected that tree after it was cut. It is repurposed wood.’
She adds that most of their furniture comes from recycled materials.
‘The coffee table you saw? That used to be an old door. We convert it. We recycle. We do not want to cut down trees, it breaks my heart,’ Dorina said. ‘We purchase wood from licensed suppliers only, and we believe in planting a tree when one is cut. Sustainability is very important for us.’
For the founders, Oikos Gallery is not just a shop but a cultural hub.
‘We are planning to host three to five art events every year,’ Dorina shares. ‘Solo exhibitions, group exhibitions, anything that brings artists and art lovers together. This grand opening is just the beginning.’
The atmosphere at the opening confirmed that vision. Strangers lingered at sculptures, exchanged interpretations of paintings, and took long pauses at furniture pieces that looked more like installations.
At the heart of it all is an intergenerational story of craft.
‘My father, Salvatore De Vita, was a legend of furniture design,’ Dorina says. ‘My sister is a talented fashion designer and my brother is also a well-known artist as well. It is a trend in the family. So, opening this gallery in Kampala feels like continuing that legacy in a new place.’