Despite the odds stacked against the creative industry in Rwanda, the visual art scene continues to evolve and raise the bar higher, which is a concise depiction of the ongoing art exhibition happening at the Atelier Academy in Kimihurura. The Twembi exhibition is curated by Mika Hirwa, an emerging visual artist in Rwanda and features quite a number of digital art installments which is a new concept for the local art scene, something further emphasized by the fact that it is the very first digital art exhibition in the city.

Upon entering the exhibition premises, participants scan a QR code to access an app that’s used to view the paintings virtually and get motion movements from the paintings once they are scanned, a concept that applies to all the art installations undeniably portraying multiple perceptions and upholding the narrative that art is subjective.

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Despite this being his first exhibition, Hirwa has built a community through sharing his art pieces on social media overtime which has prompted a good turnout for the exhibition, however the unique concept in which it is set is the most captivating thing about it.

Hirwa shared that his concept for the exhibition was derived from a combination of his unwavering desire to be innovative and his love and knowledge of tech.

"This is my first exhibition and I wanted to give a quality experience to those who come to the exhibition,” he said.

Furthermore, the 26-year-old visual artist told The New Times that he intended for people to have their own perceptions of his art but he also wanted to share how he originally visualized it, which answers the question of what inspired him in part.

"I want people to have their own interpretations of the art but I also want them to see it from my point of view, and digital art gives me the space for both. People like asking what inspired a painting and I feel like when they scan in and see motion, they can see where it came from and what it means.” he says.

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One of the abstract paintings titled "Ibonekerwa” eloquently portrays what looks like the moon with several pairs of hands holding on it, which could be a representation of hope and expectation in the sense that from whom much is given, much is expected and the time between expectation and actualization requires hope and patience in equal amounts.

Explaining what he wanted to communicate with the painting, Hirwa revealed that the "moon” is actually the sun and the people around it all come from the same tribe and they always expect more from the sun, despite the privilege of having it in the first place.

While it appears to be risqué at first glance, one of the more intriguing paintings in the exhibition "Twembi” features two people back to back in a resting position, which is noticeable upon closer inspection. Hirwa drew this concept from a childhood game he used to play in which two people held one another back to back to uplift one another, symbolizing that two people can always hold one another and be with one another despite what comes between them. The painting moves in clockwise motion which represents the passage of time as an obstacle.

One of the visually captivating installments in the collection features a pair in a dancing position that seems like a mid-lift, and the motion accentuates that context. The pair stay frozen, representing a moment or a memory, and the elements around the subjects move in circles, which according to Hirwa represents the dreams shared by the pair, awakened by the magic created when they come together.

One of the most interesting additions to the exhibition is a painting of a severed head lying on white lava. Upon a closer look, the motion appears to portray the narrative that heavy is the head that wears the crown. The artifact’s motion movements shows the subject of the severed head with a royal themed headpiece struggling to find balance until the head drops down and restores light to her surroundings. The still image features the dark severed head but there’s always more than meets the eye.

The Twembi exhibition will be taking place till December 1, at Atelier Academy, Kimihurura.