When he realized that his coffee shop business was not making enough money he had anticipated, Djamal Ntagara did what he thought at the time to be the best course of action to take: He quit the business to venture into painting. He says now even given a corporate job with a lucrative salary, he can never quit painting. Joseph Oindo caught up with him at Uburanga Arts Center where he plies his trade.

When did you realize painting was to be your profession?

It was at the end of 2013. Before this, I had a coffee shop business that had started making losses and instead of fixing the problems it was facing, I just spontaneously decided that I had to jump into a new venture: painting.

Did you study arts in school? 

No, I studied Islamic studies in my secondary school. But my passion started in earnest when I was young. I was one of those students who sit at the back of the class and spend the whole lesson drawing in books instead of taking notes. It was rare for me to collect my books for marking because my teachers would just be horrified! In a nutshell, I was mischievously more into arts than education.

Did you go to any arts college after high school? 

Never. I consider myself a self-taught artist. Everything I was doing, the paintings I was generating; I was doing all this out of passion for art. Even the brief period I was in business, from 2009 to 2013, I always thought that painting would be my profession. I just loved it!

How did you end up at Uburanga Arts Studio?

After quitting business, I had a friend called Fred Kagame who saw my talent and invited me to Uburanga. I didn’t even have to do my apprenticeship under anybody. I just strolled there as an established artist, though at that time I had never even sold any of my pieces that I was doing for fun.

What difference has painting made to your life?

Quite a lot. Within the two years that I have been painting, I have realized that even if someone were to offer me a big job, there’s just no way I’m going to quit painting. I have developed deep passion for it. Even if it does not pay me much, I cannot exchange my talent for anything else. Painting has made me discover my real self, my true colors.

What do you think should be the role of artists in society?

Look at Burundi now. Some of the artists are running while they should be in the eye of the hurricane, helping to create order out of chaos through painting reconciliatory messages. Artists should be the legislators of society. They should not run away from problems but instead should be agents of solutions. Through arts, we artists should aspire to create a better society to live in.

Talking of the Burundi conflict, has any of the artists come to the arts studios in Rwanda?

At the moment, no. But they’re welcome. Should any artist discover that he or she wants to proceed with their artistic passion, they’re more than welcome.

What’s the future of Rwanda arts?

Very bright in deed. Several young artists are coming up. Parents should let their children practice their passions and teachers should do the same. For arts in Rwanda is facing exponential growth now.