With the organization of the first Kigali Triennial, Rwanda ambitiously positions itself in the African cultural calendar.

From the top of the hill, glimpsed between the leaves of banana and eucalyptus trees, red spots on the surface of the water attract the eye. It is hard to believe in the dreamlike vision that imposes itself in the mosaic of greens under a stormy sky: boats crowned with bright red butterfly wings move slowly on Lake Burera, between the shore and Batutsi Island.

In northern Rwanda, far from any urban center, far from any museum, a work of art directed by fishermen moves freely in nature. This is the desire of the young Rwandan plastic artist Cédric Mizero, aged 31. Overlooking the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo, he bought a whole hill which he then transformed into an artists' residence, a place of exhibition, meetings, and performances. Internationally known for his fashion creations, the young man works here in connection with the inhabitants and in close contact with nature. He named this place with a sublime panorama Ikinyugunyugu, which means "butterfly" in Kinyarwanda.

Cédric Mizero and the butterflies of Lake Burera

In this February of 2024, Ikinyugunyugu welcomed foreign visitors for the first time to offer them an art and music tour, on the occasion of the first Kigali Triennial, organized from February 16 to 25, 2024. An event among many others celebrating the vitality and tenacity of the arts in this small country of the Great Lakes region. "The Triennial includes 64 events, 150 foreign artists invited, 200 Rwandan artists and authors," sums up in one sentence Sophie Kabano, a business lawyer in Kigali, producer of the Triennial and administrator of the Rwanda Arts Initiative (RAI). For 9 days, Rwandans and foreign visitors were able to attend and participate in a multitude of cultural events, mainly in the capital but also in rural areas. Literary meetings, theatrical performances, dance shows, exhibitions, screenings, concerts: most of the cultural and creative industries (ICC) were celebrated, both indoors and outdoors.

Art, a foundation of cohesion.

The artistic director of the event, Dorcy Rugamba, says nothing else: "In a traumatized country like Rwanda, which is also a monocultural country where we all speak the same language, art can be a foundation of cohesion. There is now a real willingness to open up the country and assume a Pan-African vocation. It's very recent, but the Minister of Youth and Arts, Sandrine Umutoni, comes from the cultural sector and understands all its challenges, especially economic ones. As for programming, the state has not interfered and has left us free

Driven by the desire to "highlight the Rwandan artistic community and invite the world," Dorcy Rugamba defends the idea of "investment for the future," both literally and figuratively. While he claims to have been concerned with supporting youth, promoting female creators, and showcasing African production, he does not hesitate to use the economic argument to explain his approach. "When it comes to culture, many argue that it is not a priority, that it would be wasted money to celebrate - when in reality it is a long-term investment. Today, most artistic practices are confined to the informal economy. By developing them, it is possible to incorporate them into the formal economy. With the Triennial, we are not seeking to do something lavish; we focus on discussion forums, training, professionalization, thinking of the cultural world as a global market. We invite producers who can create projects and support artists internationally. Creative professions are highly valued by young people, and financial partners can now understand that it is possible to invest in an artist or a company. The ambition is clearly to make culture a development sector. Within three years, I hope that all cultural actors will understand what role they can play." For her part, Sophie Kabano emphasizes that the country intends to create 300,000 jobs per year "outside of agriculture" and that there is an "opportunity to seize

Article source: jeuneafrique