The weather is tranquil at the Banque Populaire du Rwanda Atlas Mara building where Epa Binamungu is holding his contemporary art exhibition, titled "Another language.” What captured my eyes when I stepped into the exhibition room is the fierce look of his art paintings.

The portraits hang on the wall, with a bit of explanation to help someone understand what they are all about. Art is not for the impatient, it takes much observation and persistence, to comprehend the message behind each piece.

On entering the exhibition room, the legendary artist is lost in a conversation with two people, if I tried to guess what their dialogue is about, from a distance, he is trying to elucidate about his art. With a fervent smile on his face, he could make one envisage what strolls in his mind.

For my sake, I can detect that his mind is filled with sketches, colors, creations, great hints and all that which could excite a person to ponder, relish and learn.

Artists at Binamungu’s art gallery in Masaka Sector.

The moment he caught sight of me, he excused himself from his guests, gladly received me and asked me to wait for a few minutes as he finished with his visitors. Checking out the paintings, I had a myriad of questions, like who on earth creates a solution in just a photo?

Binamungu returned shortly ready to share with me, the language and accent of art. To him, everything about human nature is art. 

He is one of the stupendous artisans, the Rwandan art industry is blessed with. Epa is a name known by almost everyone in the industry and beyond.

With 46 years of experience in art-making, he is widely praised for being persistent in a profession that wasn’t given so much emphasis before.  

On September 12, he showcased his art in Kigali. His exhibition will run for a month and conclude on October 12.

When asked why he chose "Another language”, he responded that art is another way to talk to people who speak different languages.

"Since few people really understand contemporary art, I include an accent on each piece. For one to understand the message behind each painting, he needs to take time to listen, and read. It is not merely gazing at the colors and the brightness, and draw culminations that the picture is good.  Art is beyond expressions, lines, and an extra emphasis on what the picture is all about,” he said.

A young boy painting at Epa’s art gallery.

Every year, he organizes at least four exhibitions and each has a theme, depending on the message he wants to convey to the public.  

Having got a chance to do a number of courses in different art, he is proficient in visual art, he can do paintings, drawings, printing, sculptures, ceramics, among others.

However, for this exhibition, he did mixed media (Mixed media art refers to a visual art form that combines a variety of media in a single artwork.) Some of the materials he used include; canvas, acre paint, sand, backcloth, medical gloves, and glue.

A group of people admires one of his paintings during the art exhibition.

Binamungu explained that he usually has a dialogue with art. He starts his dialogue with painting, employs colors to provide the picture with life. 

The birth of the talent

Just like any parent, Binamungu’s parents wished him to be successful in the future. That is why they pushed him to do a course in sciences, a course he never wanted to pursue but had no alternative, as he wanted to please his parents.   "I did that degree just to put a smile on my parents’ faces. I never thought of disappointing them. I should say that I studied for them because if they had given me a chance to do what I wanted, I could choose art, a million times,” he stressed.

Young children learn how to paint at Epa’s art gallery in Masaka.

After graduating, he was free to choose the path he wanted to take. 

Binamungu is not the kind to dwell on medals, awards, and fame that has come with his talent. But he takes pride in stretching his knowledge and experience through mentoring a number of young people in his ‘Inganzo Art Gallery’ in Masaka.

Multitasking 

Unlike other artists, Epa doesn’t distillate on one picture while drawing, but works on about five pictures at a go. He starts with one, then poses, starts on another, as he keeps going back to the ones he started with while adding life, meaning, and color to them.

Five pictures can take him about a week to complete. Each of his paintings has white because it bestows the expression, brightness and the last touch to the painting. 

The art legend said, he is not yet where he wants to be.  His dream is to improve and become better than he has been in the past years.

Epa Binamungu explains to a guest one of his art pieces during his exhibition on September 12 in Kigali.

He noted that although there is money in the art industry, artists need to be creative and bring something new to people’s eyes because doing the same kind of art gets boring. He gives an example of food, noting that, although food is delicious, you can’t eat the same type of food every single day. 

The main challenge he encounters is that a number of people cannot interpret art, they rather just cherish the colors. However, if taken time to read art in depth, there is too much to learn from it.

Advice

He calls upon parents to give a chance for children to study art. Art is not done by people who failed in life just like it is imagined. Art is something that children need to be taught at a young age. 

"Parents should let their children take on courses that they are passionate about, but not force them to do professions that they are not interested in just because they are considered of high value. Each one of us has a mission on earth to accomplish, which is why we are blessed in different ways. Some are musicians, doctors, journalists, others are pilots, engineers, footballers, and yet each needs the other’s services,” he concluded.

Although art is where Binamungu earns his living, he doesn’t divulge how much he charges for his artworks. He, however, adds that his art pieces are everywhere in public institutions, embassies, and museums. 

editor@newtimesrwanda.com