IBRAHIM INTWARI, 25 is a Rwandan photographer based in Sydney, Australia. His billboard displayed in the city of Melbourne has prescribed the young artist some notoriety. Finding his love for photography in 2018 granted him the ability to translate these skills into the form of storytelling. 

His billboard was located in Melbourne, CBD last month. A photo festival and outdoor exhibition took place, and hundreds of creators showcased their work resulting in Intwari receiving his collaborative project on display to the public eye.

"The project is called ‘men do not cry', and was done as a collaborative effort. I wrote the creative piece as a poem, and the picture was taken by my friend Richmond Kobla Dido. The heads together represent brotherhood, our connection between one another, and also the foundation of unification as one,” Intwari says. 

The picture that featured in Melbourne, Australia. Courtesy photos

The picture was done in 2019, although due to the pandemic mandating restrictions, showcasing the art was postponed till 2020. Releasing four years later in 2022, is a testament to never giving up, and trusting the process as Intwari describes it.  "The magic of photography comes out of building the initial idea whether it comes from conversations, interactions I have with people, seeing something, feeling music, and from there I’m able to visualize it photographically. For example, the ‘men do not cry’ billboard was initially a poem at first, and emerged from a mental health experience I went through,” Intwari says. 

There's a line in the poem that says 'Nta mugabo urira’, meant to illustrate prohibiting men from conveying their emotions in the form of sadness. Intwari believes the social stigma of toxic masculinity needs to be broken around the world and in Rwanda. 

"It’s not simply about men crying, more so men don’t show their emotions, men do not feel weak. It revolves around the topic of men feeling they are less of a man when they share their emotions or express their emotions in different forms. Men should be aware that it’s okay to feel that way,” Intwari says. 

Building success from photography is being vulnerable in ones work, as a black photographer based in Sydney, Australia, he believes people are looking for work that they can resonate with, and a lot of the work displayed is a result of Intwari’s vulnerability and expression of self. He hopes to inspire people with his work in different forms of art, and represent them in the most authentic way possible.

"I will say one thing that motivates me is pondering the why. Why am I doing photography? Is it strictly for income purposes? You have to strive for it if that’s your goal. Representing your true self in personal forms of creativity is key, at times the journey may seem slow. Even so, as you learn, copy, and grow yourself as a photographer you will find your unique style eventually,” Intwari says. 

Intwari is signed to Converse as a content creator. It took him at least 2 years to gain their attention but has now found himself in a position that aligns with his passions. He also has solo work displayed on his site https://www.iintwari.com/. "Whenever they have projects such as photography work, writing, and filmmaking I’m a part of the team who initiates one of those projects in Sydney,” Intwari says. 

Intwari tries to illustrate themes of style, and emotions in photo imagery which he believes are both a sense of self-expression. Publicizing other people’s passions in his work is what empowers his art.  "If I work with a particular person, like a female bodybuilder, and I’m able to show feelings of empowerment in the subject who’s expressing their artistry. I believe it can, and will inspire somebody else trying to get in that field,” Intwari says.

Most of the clients Intwari meets are from having genuine conversations and marketing oneself. Scouting clients isn’t necessarily the goal for him. He emphasizes the importance of potency, and never wavering in the world in which you wish to express yourself, translate it through your work, and achieve persistency will in most cases arise opportunities.