Rwanda Museum of Art director Vivaldi Ngenzi on art, unity, and reconciliation
Vivaldi Ngenzi, the director of the Rwanda Museum of Art located in Kigali, highlights its significance in fostering national unity and reconciliation nearly three decades post the Tutsi genocide. Founded in 2018 within the former Presidential Palace Museum, the institution is funded by the public and celebrates Rwandan artistic expression. The contemporary art landscape flourishes, featuring talents from Nyundo Art School and new galleries like Inema Art Center. The government, through the Ministry of Youth and Culture, invests in cultural initiatives, with a budget allocated for the National Strategic Transformation 2017-2024. In July 2020, seven artistic groups received 300 million RWF. The museum previously organized Kwibuka Through Art in 2019 and Messages from Rwandan Women Artists: #EACHFOREQUAL, with plans for a residency on aging in 2022.
Key facts
- Rwanda Museum of Art established in 2018 in former Presidential Palace Museum
- Museum is publicly funded by the government
- Contemporary art scene includes self-taught and academy-trained artists
- Nyundo Art School and Nyundo Music School are key training institutions
- Inema Art Center, Kwetu Film Institute, L'espace are emerging art spaces in Kigali
- Government allocated 300 million RWF ($313,000) for Cultural and Creative Industry Recovery in July 2020
- Imbuto Foundation coordinated the recovery fund distribution
- Kwibuka Through Art exhibition in 2019 marked 25th anniversary of Tutsi genocide
- Messages from Rwandan Women Artists: #EACHFOREQUAL featured 69 works by 36 women
- Exhibition covered by UNWOMEN, UNESCO, Goethe-Institut
- Museum collaborates with Goethe-Institut and Institut Français
- Exploring partnerships with Institut du Monde Arabe, Musée d'Aquitaine, MECA Bordeaux
- 2022 residency program on aging with University of Global Health Equity
- Museum plans to document pioneering female artists and improve collection policy
Entities
Artists
- Vivaldi Ngenzi
- Christiane Rwagatare
- Arlette Vanderheyden
- Floride Mukabageni
- Vestine Mukakalisa
- Natacha Jonkovic
- Nelson Niyakire
Institutions
- Rwanda Museum of Art
- Academy of Cultural Heritage of Rwanda
- Institute of National Museums of Rwanda
- Nyundo Art School
- Nyundo Music School
- Inema Art Center
- Kwetu Film Institute
- L'espace
- Ministry of Youth and Culture
- Imbuto Foundation
- Goethe-Institut
- Institut Français
- Institut du Monde Arabe
- Musée d'Aquitaine
- MECA Bordeaux
- University of Global Health Equity
- UNWOMEN
- UNESCO
- Artribune
Locations
- Rwanda
- Kigali
- Paris
- Bordeaux
- France
- Belgium
- Central Africa