A few words about your artistic career
My journey as a visual artist began when I was at primary school, copying pictures from newspapers. Students and teachers told me I was good at drawing, which motivated me to spend most of my time doing it. Later, I went on to study at an art school, which helped me to become who I am today.
How long have you been an artist?
Since 2014, I have been a professional artist.
Why did you apply for this scholarship? How will the scholarship support you?
My greatest motivation for applying for this grant was to mobilise my resources so that I could contribute to the artistic sector by launching a graphic novel produced in Rwanda. This grant will support me in many ways, including financially, through transport, data collection and the purchase of equipment.
**What are your concrete artistic objectives after this residency?
My goals include starting a solid art studio in Rwanda. Later, I would like to support young artists to develop their careers by working in my studio.
What did you achieve during this creative residency? What is the result (work created)?
This bursary enabled me to travel to three of my country's five provinces. I've collected data from a variety of people and made a large number of sketches of these places, hoping soon to be able to visit two more provinces to complete my research for my sketchbook, which will be printed at the end of this year.
With this grant, I bought a digital tablet to improve the quality of my work. During my travels, I tried to create small jobs to help my friends who were very affected by the pandemic situation. I donated over two hundred masks to poor people in my community. I created a scrolling story illustrated with drawings showing the real image of my country during the days of the pandemic. For those who don't like to read, I also made a video based on my drawings.
How do you think these activities help us to think about the world today, in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, and/or about building for the future?
The story itself is linked to the COVID-19 crisis, and the works created reflect the world today as it appears on digital media. I think they will appear again in the future because they will be recorded as part of the history that the world has known.
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How did you feel during the residency? And afterwards?
Art is my hobby and my job, nothing in this world could make me feel more joy than creating. I was so proud when I travelled to different towns and the countryside with my pencil. Everyone would look at me with surprised eyes.
