Lamich Kirabo: An Artist Whose Work Explores Identity, Memory, and Cultural Heritage

One of the things I love about Paris is discovering talented people whose creativity offers a fresh perspective on the world. Today, I’m delighted to introduce you to my friend Lamich Kirabo, an artist, writer, and fashion model whose creative talents extend well beyond the runway.

Born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, and now based in Paris, Lamich brings a distinctive perspective to her work. Her art explores identity, memory, and the ways our cultural heritage evolves as we move through the world.

Lamich and I met earlier this year, during her Open Studio exhibition at gallery Kostia in the sixth arrondissement. I was intrigued by her use of ink. It’s a medium I know little about and, as someone who can hardly use a fountain pen without making a mess, I’m fascinated by her ability to create such beautiful, expressive, and captivating works. Since then, I’ve followed her on social media @lamich.kirabo

When Lamich reached out to tell me about her upcoming exhibition, Murmurations, I was so disappointed to discover the dates don’t coincide with my next trip to Paris. But I didn’t want to let that keep me from sharing the news with you.

If you’re in Paris, I hope you’ll stop by Gallery AMU to see her work in person. I’d love for you to experience the same delight I felt when I first encountered her art.

An Artistic Vision Rooted in Identity and Memory

Lamich’s paintings include compelling portraits that invite us to look beyond the surface. Working with layered inks, she creates figurative compositions that explore the relationship between who we are, where we come from, and how our experiences shape us.

Her artistic practice is deeply personal, drawing on questions of cultural identity, tradition, and transformation. What do we carry with us from the past? What changes as we encounter new places and experiences? And what remains an essential part of who we are?

These questions give her work a resonance that extends beyond any one place or culture. Her paintings invite us to consider the connections between personal experience and collective memory, and the ways traditions can be preserved even as they evolve.

One of Lamich’s works, First Hours. Revelations. (2025), particularly captured my attention. The painting explores the transmission of knowledge between generations, the traditions passed from parents to children, and the role women play in preserving cultural memory. Accompanying the work is a poem that reflects on the relationship between movement, family, and heritage.

As I stood before Lamich’s painting, I couldn’t help but think of Edgar Degas’s The Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, the sculpture at the Musée d’Orsay, just a few streets away. What first caught my attention was the similarity in the girls’ posture. Although they come from very different cultures, both appear to embody something they have learned from those who came before them. For Degas’s young dancer, that legacy is classical ballet, a tradition that demands years of study, discipline, and an intimate understanding of movement and technique. In Lamich’s painting, I saw a similar connection to the knowledge, customs, and cultural heritage passed from one generation to the next in Uganda. Each girl, in her own way, becomes a living expression of a tradition that extends beyond her individual experience.

These are the kinds of connections I find myself making when I experience art in person. Standing before a work, I have the opportunity to look closely, reflect, and make unexpected associations with other works and cultures. Such thoughts rarely come to me in quite the same way when viewing art online or in books. It is one of the reasons I love visiting museums and galleries, particularly to see contemporary art. There is something special about being in the presence of a work and allowing it to spark ideas and connections I might never have considered otherwise.

From the Fashion Runway to the Artist’s Studio

Some of you may recognize Lamich from her work as a fashion model. She has appeared in international fashion shows and editorials, working with major names in the industry. Yet her artistic practice offers another perspective on her creativity.

Fashion and painting may seem like very different worlds, but both are concerned with expression, identity, and the power of an image to communicate something beyond words.

As a model, Lamich participates in the creation of images shaped by designers, photographers, and creative directors. As an artist, she develops her own visual language, exploring the subjects and stories that matter to her.

Her experience across these creative fields makes her artistic journey particularly compelling. She brings an understanding of visual composition and the human form to her paintings, while her work as an artist gives us a glimpse into the ideas and experiences that inform her creative life.

Discover Lamich Kirabo at Gallery AMU

I’m delighted that Lamich’s work will be presented at Gallery AMU, a Paris-based gallery dedicated to contemporary African artistry, craftsmanship, and design.

Located on Rue Guénégaud in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, AMU provides a setting for exploring the connections between African cultural heritage and contemporary creative expression. Its focus on the stories, materials, and traditions behind works of art makes it a particularly interesting place to discover artists whose practices engage with questions of identity and cultural continuity.

For anyone who enjoys discovering emerging artists and learning about the ideas behind their work, Lamich is an artist worth knowing. If you are in Paris, I encourage you to discover Lamich Kirabo and explore her work at AMU Gallery.

Exposition details, including the title and dates, will be added as they are confirmed.