Inside Binamungu's art world

Off Masaka centre, a three kilometer stretch leads you to 61-year-old Epa Binamungu’s Inganzo Art Centre. The centre is set in a rural backdrop where you feel in close contact with nature, the serene and lush compound contrasting immensely with the hustle and bustle of Kigali City. With a paintbrush in his hand and an easel holding a canvas in front of him, Binamungu puts final touches on some pieces he hopes to exhibit soon, to officially launch his newly constructed impressive art gallery. His workshop is quaint by any standards. It contains myriads of various accoutrements of his art: acrylic paints, paintbrushes, painting surfaces-canvases, woods and papers, palettes, rag and paper towels, cups and jars of water and varnishes. Veteran painter Epa Binamungu (wearing a suit) is joined by other young artists during one of his exhibitions. “At KBC (the original home of Inganzo) the space was small and I needed a big place where I could entertain my clients and fellow artists. This place is quite ideal since it brings me closer to nature. I like doing my work in a calm place,” Binamungu explains why he relocated from Kigali. He further says that his other motivation was to create a place where he could invite youthful artists to come and paint in calm and silence, something that’s capable of triggering spontaneous inspiration to an artist. “Now I have my own place where I can enjoy nature, have my own gallery and my own space where I can work with other artists. In 2014, Inganzo hosted a high profile workshop named Imago Mundi to catalogue their works, and help market their work internationally. And late last year, over 26 artists descended on the art center, this time to take part in a workshop where their paintings were also used as artistic arsenals to help in fighting Gender-based violence, (GBV). The veteran artist urges young artists to work together and put their talents to use. However, it’s inside the gallery that you get the artistic proficiency of the veteran painter. Binamungu says that his paintings are inspired by three things: what he feels from his heart, the normal everyday life and his veneration of culture. The gallery is divided, by thin white walls, into eight compartments, each wall carrying paintings of different shapes, styles and texture. One piece is aptly named Integration and showcases Binamungu’s thumbs up to the much vaunted East Africa Integration. He paints five people representing the countries comprising the regional block, differentiated by their dressing, and in the background, several people joining their heads together in a clear affirmation of the benefits the region is now gaining. The everyday struggle to have a decent life is depicted on another acrylic on canvas at the end of the gallery. Here, different people are engaged in selling fruits and vegetables in a busy market. The azure of the sky reflects down the green of the Rwanda’s famous hills at the background while in the middle are tall, impressive storeyed buildings Portraiture of everyday’s life is another acrylic on canvas that shows men, women and children, with their jerry cans, lining up in a queue to fetch water in a community water point, a common site you can easily see in both rural and urban settings. Binamungu also attributes his painting success to his deep love for culture. There are several paintings that depict authentic Rwanda culture, the love for long horned cows, the Inyambo. Epa Binamungu puts the final touches on his piece of artwork. “The cow is a powerful symbol of our undying tradition and culture. When you own cows, you become a respected member of the society,” he muses. He also uses the images of animals to represent peaceful coexistence, where an elephant and antelope, both traditional enemies are painted grazing closely together. Binamungu advises young artists to collaborate and share their experiences, so that art in Rwanda can move forward and says that “the gallery is built for them to act as a resource centre. Binamungu is one of the most admired painters in Rwanda.

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Inside Binamungu's art world