Rigobert Uwiduhaye, a young artist, uses his painting skills to raise awareness on animal poaching and environment conservation, especially in the Virunga Mountains area. He says his art aims at expressing the importance of nature, and wants to encourage as many people as possible to participate in conservation efforts and connect with the beauty of this region on a more personal level.
Born and raised in Musanze District, Uwiduhaye’s passion started during childhood, he started sketching in primary school and draw the nature around him. When he grew older and become more self-aware, he became better at capturing even the smallest visual detail.
"As I grew up, I released how art could not only benefit me through transforming my future, but also had potential to help me change issues in my community,” Uwiduhaye says.
After completing O-level from Lycée de Kigali, he went to Ecole d’art de Nyundo for A-level to pursue plastic art, a course that he hoped would give him more skills to succeed.
In 2018, the artist collaborated with five childhood friends, and with the little savings they had collected from school pocket money, they opened Musanze’s first community library "Agati Library” which receives about 800 visits every month, ranging from locals and foreigners to children and adults.
The gallery is where Uwiduhaye shares his art and seeks to increase literacy in the community. His work is also hanging in hotels, galleries, homes, campuses, coffee shops, among other places.
The pieces go for Rwf300, 000 and above, some even up to Rfw3M, depending on the size of the piece and time it will take to finish it. Uwiduhaye can paint 10 to 15 pieces a month.
He has attended different workshops and exhibitions that he believes opened doors to success. He has also sold his work to different places like the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
"Working with the renowned campus has been my biggest achievement. They found one of my paintings on display and really liked it; they approached me and we agreed on the price. It’s an honour that my painting is one of the VIP rooms of the campus,” he says.
As a young man inspired to grow the art industry to a great level, getting more people to understand their kind of their work remains a challenge.
"I can even spend three months or more on just one painting, and when you put a price, most people claim it is high,” he says.
Shortage of market and raw materials also remains a challenge as there is only one shop in Rwanda that sells quality materials used in their work, others are bought costly online.
"While doing my work, I use materials like linen, the most professional fabric that is suitable for making great paintings, but hard to find locally, acrylics and oil paints, some of which I ship from Germany or Dubai and cost me a lot of money,” he says.
As environmental conservation remains a challenge countrywide, the artist hopes to invest in the future generation by teaching young people about conservation through his art, and helping them become aware and informed citizens that create better communities.
"Young people should value our country through supporting our activities. They should remember how special they are and do great things. Believe in yourself and value your time and make each day count,” he says.