Imigongo painting, a traditional practice
Rwanda is known for its imigongo painting, traditionally made by women from cow dung. Dominated by geometric patterns or spirals, in mostly black, white or red tones, these unique works most often decorate the interior of homes but can also be found on pottery or directly on canvas. The dung is mixed with ash, which kills bacteria and odors, then hardened and colored. The place of origin of this practice is the region of Nyakarimbi, in the Eastern Province, near the Tanzanian border, where it continues to be produced in the ancestral rules of the art. During the 1994 genocide, this technique, which is part of the Rwandan heritage, almost disappeared, before a women's cooperative on the road to Rusumo in the eastern province of Kirehe saved and revived the practice. While traditional geometric designs continue to be produced, these artists are experimenting with increasingly free-form images that communicate the spirit of the Rwandan landscape, its flora, fauna and people. Today, a variety of modern imigongo can be found, ranging from geometric to figurative.
Contemporary art, a tool for political reconstruction
Today, Rwandan contemporary art is a precious tool of memory, communication, expression and reflection, a motor for social change. One of the artists representative of this mission is the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Sebukangaga, whose work deals very directly with the issue of genocide. Co-founder of the country's first and only art school in Nyundo (1962), he is one of the most important figures in Rwandan art since independence. A survivor of the Tutsi genocide, he became a leading artist in the late 1990s, with the Rwandan government commissioning several memorial projects. One of the most famous of these is his 1998 work at Kanombe airport in Kigali.
One of the key events in terms of current creation is the Ubumuntu ("being human") festival, which has taken place annually since 2015 and is held after the last week of the 100 days of commemoration of the 1994 genocide. It brings together local and international artists and is held in the outdoor amphitheater of the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center. Performances, workshops, tours: the festival's activities are varied. Its curator, the young Hope Azeda, has become a key figure in the art world in Rwanda.
Another key place to discover Rwandan art is the Ivuka Arts Center in Kigali, both a studio and a gallery, dedicated to visual arts, sculpture, but also to performance and crafts. According to Patrick Nizeyimana, the director, the objective of the place is to give hope to the Rwandan youth through creation.
Finally, for a general overview of the Rwandan contemporary scene, we recommend the documentary by director Sarine Arslania, entitled RWANDArt, which highlights the new generations of local artists. For example, we discover the work of painter and sculptor Bruce Niyonkuru, a local figure, born in Burundi but living in Rwanda since the age of eight. Even if, according to him, "art is not yet taken seriously" in Rwanda, he is convinced of its value in creating a harmonious society and therefore organizes many workshops and meetings.
The recent development of photography
For a long time reserved for an economic and cultural elite, photography is now becoming more popular in Rwanda. In the capital, the Kigali Photography Center plays a major role in this process, the first institution of its kind in the country. Located in the residential area of Kacyiru, the place offers a calm and relaxing atmosphere, conducive to creation and discovery. It aims to promote Rwandan and international photography, and offers support to emerging local artists through educational activities (meetings, workshops), residencies or the provision of equipment and space.
At the initiative of this project, the photographer, Jacques Nkinzingabo, who lives and works in Kigali. A self-taught photographer, he specializes in documentary photography and strives to show a new image of the country, documenting its beauty and resilience. His photographs focus on issues such as cultural diversity, memory, migration or identity, and tell another story of the country by giving voice to those who do not have it. In addition to his personal practice and work at the center, Nkinzingabo is also the co-founder of the Kigali Photo Festival and the KwandaArt Foundation, which helps promote Rwanda's photographic and artistic community through various events.
Street art, sculpture: public art at the heart of cultural renewal
As the cultural scene develops in Kigali, street art is becoming more and more important. This growth is largely due to the work of a Rwandan association called Kurema Kureba Kwiga, literally "create, see, learn", which since 2013 aims to encourage collaboration between communities through artistic expression. It is thus at the initiative of the numerous murals that cover the walls of the city and are now an integral part of the artistic identity of Kigali. Legal and often supported by the government, they decorate small streets as well as important public buildings. Topics such as the protection of cultural heritage, the integration of refugees, feminism, environmental preservation or the fight against HIV are addressed. It is also an opportunity to engage in a dialogue with artists from other countries. Recently, for example, the internationally renowned European street artist ROA visited Rwanda as part of a partnership between Kurema, the Belgian Embassy and the Rwandan Development Board. As his work focuses on the preservation of animal biodiversity, the public murals created during this collaboration follow this same theme - as does the one that decorates the headquarters of the Volcanoes National Park.
The public sculpture also enjoys great support from the authorities, who have grasped their symbolic potential in the work of political reconciliation. Thus, various statues dot the city, adding a historical dimension to the urban landscape. Sometimes it is simply the local culture that is highlighted, with the aim of making the capital more joyful, more pleasant for its inhabitants and more attractive for visitors, like the huge statue of the three dancers at the Sonatube traffic circle, who are performing the traditional Umushyayayo dance, a symbol of hospitality and the joy of receiving visitors. It is also a message of unity and gender equality.
