Rwanda’s Laura Nsengiyumva wins at Dak’Art 2012

RWANDAN artist Laura Nsengiyumva has won the Contemporary African Art prize of the 10th biennale of Dak’Art 2012 in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.The long awaited event started on May 11 and will end June 10. Dak’art is an international artistic event devoted to African visual arts and gathering around various activities. Awards were announced during the opening ceremony of the biennale, on Friday at the Grand Theater in the presence of Senegal’s President Macky Sall, Minister of Culture and Tourism Youssou Ndour, Chairman of the orientation committee of Dak’Art and chairman of Eiffage Senegal Gérard Senac and Nadira Laggoune, curator representing the jury of Dak’Art 2012.In addition to this prize worth five million CFA francs, Nsengiyumva received an award from the Minister of Culture and Tourism. Rwanda’s Ambassador to Senegal, Gérard Ntwari, made a special mention of appreciation and praise for her video art.The 25-year-old Belgian artist of Rwandan origin, Nsengiyumva, studied architecture at La Cambre and lives in Brussels. Her installation called “1994” is a commemorative and autobiographical work. It depicts a daily sad scene of a Belgian family of Rwandan origin watching TV during the time of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. “I presented my work at the biennale selections and I was very proud to represent Rwanda because we won the prize from the Minister of Culture and Tourism Youssou Ndour,” Nsengiyumva told The New Times during the art exhibition in Dakar. “My work talks about the Rwandan Diaspora in Brussels and how we are still looking for the way to commemorate the Genocide against the Tutsi. It’s really about the feelings of being away from home and finding your roots – it’s another testimony that we used to hear.”The “1994” video art is both a necessary step towards a catharsis for the Rwanda Diaspora and a unique testimony for the rest of society. A testimony too often overshadowed by other issues related to immigration, or even by bashfulness of a generation cut off from their culture and feeling their sorrow as illegitimate.The grand prize of the 2012 biennial of Contemporary African Art went to Morocco’s Younes Baba-Ali for his installation “Horn Orchestra.” The prize was offered by President Macky Sall.“Horn Orchestra”, is a sound installation consisting of a series of 10 car horns suspended in an enclosed space. At the glance, the installation takes on a rather sculptural and silent presence. The public is invited to walk in the space and their presence triggers the installation, which at random produces an imposing sonic atmosphere. Baba-Ali also received the prize of “Vives Voix” Foundation. The International Francophonie Organization (OIF) prize went to Algeria’s Sofiane Zouggar, while Cameroonian artist Em’Kal Eyongakpa won the prize from the City of Dakar.South Africa’s Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi received the Blachère’s Foundation prize, while Nancy Mteki from Zimbabwe won the residence prize in Scotland by Deveron Arts – meaning she was offered a three-month stay in Scotland. Nathalie Mba Bikoro from Gabon was awarded by Centre Soleil d’Afrique.Dak’Art 2012 features numerous events, among others, a film screening, business meetings and a panel on design. Two exhibitions paid homage to pioneering artists Papa Ibra Tall and Joe Ouakam. And the OFF offered numerous fringe exhibitions in Dakar, Saint-Louis and the whole of Senegal. The theme for this edition examines - through various angles - the dialogue that contemporary artists maintain with a social environment which is in constant mutation. From 329 submitted applications, 42 artists (16 females, 26 males) from 21 African countries and in the Diaspora were selected for the international exhibition. Wanja Kimani is a visual and performance artist living in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, her major artwork, “You have not changed”, was stolen on the third day of the exhibition. The piece reflected the vulnerability of remembrance and longing for intimacy through the relationship between a father and his estranged daughter. “I was sharing a piece called, You have not changed, a dress that I wore when I was eight years old, when I was leaving Kenya to the UK – where I have been living for the past sixteen years – that was the last time I saw my dad,” said the emotional Wanja. “Last year, I finally saw my dad for the first time after 16 years. And the first thing he told me was – You have not changed! That kind of experience made me create the work.”“It’s more of letting go. Even if the dress doesn’t come back, it would be much of an issue than not making the work. And I am happier if a little girl out there is wearing the dress than if its hide somewhere, or thrown away,” she added. The Dakar biennale is organised by Senegal’s Ministry of culture.

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Rwanda’s Laura Nsengiyumva wins at Dak’Art 2012