Visiting Sudanesevisual artist Galal Yousif gave local art lovers a taste of his motherland at a showcase staged at the Impact Hub in Kiyovu this week.
Dubbed, Garagaza Artist Talk with Galal Yousif, the event on February 27, featured live painting, artistic discussion, and exhibition of some of the artist’s works. On exhibit was a sample of his old and new pieces, showcasing his different artistic approaches and techniques.
The art works were grouped under different collections with such titles as; Age of nothing, Silence of waiting, Crowded, and Life is a tree.
Galal (middle) with some of the local visual artists that collaborated on the project, 7 Days In The City. Courtesy photo
Speaking to patrons, Galal said that he is a full time artist, who plies his trade from Khartoum, the Capital of Sudan.
There, he operates an artist run project called Khaish Studio, which he co-founded with two artist friends in 2012.
Galal travelled to Kigali through the goodwill of a one of his clients who has since become a good friend.
"I had not planned this exhibition. I was doing sculptural work for a friend in Khartoum and every morning, I got a message from him talking about Rwanda and Kigali. One day I asked him why he was always telling me about Rwanda and he told me was travelling to Kigali this February. He offered to take care of my travel expenses if I was interested in making the trip to see the country for myself. So I travelled with him.”
The artist revealed that he has been practicing art officially since 2002.
"Galal is made from art unto art. My art is about developing myself and discovering new things, it is about being connected and more open, about sharing my gift. I draw, to feel that I am making a change in my life, however little. The large and small details inspire me, the decorations, ornaments, and strong African colors.
My simple life inspired me in my childhood, the colors of my rural area overlooking the Nile with its humans, homes and culture. All I have drawn and will draw are from my simple life inspiration, but the African character is stronger in my art works. Africa is what determines my activity, Africa is the motherland,” he remarked after the exhibition.
Their collaborative mural depicting life in Nyamirambo, a Kigali City suburb. A photo collection titled, Life Is A Tree, by Sudanese visual artist Galal Yousif. Courtesy photo
Galal collaborated with artists from Kurema, Kureba, Kwiga, a local public and community arts enterprise to make the event possible.
The initiative seeks to take art out of conventional art spaces into the streets, with a view to promoting a sense of community and creativity through artistic collaborations.
"He did pretty much everything -reached out to me with a project he wanted to do, he was very humble, and all I did was find a wall, paint and some other artists,” explained Judith Kaine, the founder of Kurema, Kureba, Kwiga.
Garagara (visibility) is an ongoing project of Kurema, Kureba, Kwiga, that seeks to expand the landscape of urban art making in Kigali.
Garagara 250 Artist Talk with Galal was the second leg of the project whose introductory chapter kicked off in December last year, with workshops, artist talks, and painting of large collaborative murals in two neighborhoods in Kigali.
Galal’s project kicked off on February 15, and will wind down today, March 2.
Working with five selected Rwandan visual artists, the team conducted visual research in the streets of Nyamirambo, and collaboratively interpreted the findings into a large mural reflecting the place and its people. They painted over the course of one week.
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