AS THE world celebrated the international Women’s Day on March 8, two local artists, Abdul Rwigema and Shingiro Ntigurirwa, used their talents to paint some of the issues that women face in their daily lives.

Dubbed ‘Umugore w'Umusazi’ (Mad Woman), the exhibition aimed to address different challenges, including violence against women, mental health struggles that they face caused by pressure society puts on them, as well as problems that they face in marriages.

The exhibition kicked off on March 2 at Iteme Art behind Remera Corner in Kigali, and was the first from the two artists to take place this year.

"The whole idea came from our childhood stories. Back in 1998, I used to see every woman in a miniskirt as a sex worker. Now that I see women in a different image, I am using my art to create awareness that women are more than how they appear,” Shingiro says, explaining what inspired him to advocate for women in this exhibition.

The two street artists used oil painting on canvas to tell over 10 stories of various women and their pressing struggles in life. 

One of the untitled paintings displayed at the art exhibition is Rwigema’s 80 cm portrait of a woman carrying a basket full of fruits with a rat in her hands. Rwigema explains the portrait as a lonely woman with rats as her closest company after failing to raise her kids alone.

Another portrait is Shingiro’s 60/80 cm painting on a canvas that shows a woman wearing a kitenge dress, crying.

"Her story is that she has no peace at home. She has a beautiful and expensive kitenge dress but her heart is full of grief over the fact that she can’t give birth,” Shingiro says about the portrait.

His other artwork in the exhibition is a woman with many eyes on her face which he explains as one who refused to give birth and all eyes of society are on her.

"There is something wrong with a woman who doesn’t want to give birth,” reads the statement on the art piece.

Another beautiful portrait indicates a strong woman with the caption "Women who appear less feminine or reject advances from men are lesbians”, another misunderstanding Shingiro wants society to fix. 

The two artists worked on the art exhibition for three months using acrylics, fabrics, oil paintings, recycled paper and wood boards.

"We have been working together for a long time, and this is just the beginning. There is a lot more to come,” Rwigema says.

---

Some of the artwork displayed during the exhibition. / Photos by Craish Bahizi