It was only last year when Aimable Mugabo started painting commercially. However, art has been part of the 20-year-old’s life, since childhood.

Presently, he is among the pool of young budding artists on apprenticeship at one of the newest contemporary art spaces in Kigali, the Kaanyaburanga Arts Centre located in Kicukiro. The gallery officially opened its doors to the public last year, and Mugabo is the first among the gallery’s budding artists to stage a solo exhibition.

Titled, ‘The Journey of Experience’, the exhibition is set for July 27.

A look at Mugabo’s paintings on display at the gallery quickly reveals his artistic passion — there are many craft pieces and wall hangers made from recycled paper, and paintings, mostly of human forms and nature.

Despite his young age, Mugabo is also passionate about environmental conservation, using his handcrafts to create beauty out of waste as a way of encouraging waste recycling to protect the environment.

He would love to see fellow young people in the communities improve their creativity and self-esteem by teaching them income generating skills, like making paper baskets, which he freely teaches to willing young people.

Born on November 7 1997, he is the sixth in a family of eight children. He attended Ecole Primary de Gikondo for primary school, and Lycee de Kicukiro (APADE) for high school. At school, he would sketch drawings in his art book, just for fun. He reveals that studying in boarding schools made it hard for him to make paintings for sale.

Mugabo reveals that he would have loved to study art instead, but for the lack of art schools in the country.

"Nyundo School of Art is a high school, and I can’t go back to high school,” he quipped. But he has not given up hope altogether, and hopes to fulfil his dream in coming years, whether that will mean travelling abroad.

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