Threads of Becoming: When women tell stories of women through painting

Two Rwandan women artists, Inès Barbara Ineza and Ingrid Mukundente, are exhibiting their paintings in an exhibition titled Threads of Becoming at Institut Français Rwanda. The exhibition, which ran from August 27 through September 3, focused on the lives of Rwandan women through personal and social narratives. Though their techniques differ, Ineza, a visual artist, and Mukundente, a semi-abstract artist, explore stories of growth, self-discovery, determination, and the challenges women face. ALSO READ: Signs of change: Art exhibition portrays challenges of deaf people during natural disasters Both artists are members of the Rwandan Women Artists collective and spent eight months preparing the exhibition. Ineza’s paintings show women at different stages of life, for instance, girls attending school, young women starting small businesses, and others facing the uncertainty that often comes after graduation. She draws inspiration from her own experiences and those around her. Her paintings have colorful backgrounds and expressive brushwork. “I paint what I have seen and lived through. Not every girl gets a job after school, but that doesn’t mean she gives up. Many start something small, even from home, like selling online or doing hair. just to keep moving,” she said. Ineza started drawing back in primary school, often sketching in class as a way to express herself or just drawing for passion or fun. “I was the one drawing the biology diagrams like flowers and insects for everyone else. Then my classmates would write the notes for me,” she recalls. Her talent became clearer in secondary school, where she studied at Nyundo School of Arts and Music. She later went on to earn a degree in Industrial Art and Design from East African University in 2024. Painting, once a hobby, gradually became her career. On the other side, Mukundente’s style is different. She works in a semi-abstract approach, simplifying forms and focusing on emotion rather than detail. Her work centers on women in the village, particularly single mothers who are raising children alone without family or any support. “I come from the village, and these are the things I saw growing up. You would see women doing everything, working, cooking, and raising children on their own. They are strong, but their stories are rarely told,” she said. She first got into art in secondary school, not out of passion, at first, but to avoid subjects she didn’t enjoy. “I was trying to escape science. A neighbor told me to try an art school. I thought we wouldn’t have to do physics or chemistry, but there was still a little math.” “It wasn’t until later that I realized how much I loved the creative process.” Her journey led her to adopt a style that doesn’t always resonate immediately with viewers in Rwanda, where realistic art is often more accepted. “People sometimes look at my paintings and ask if they are finished, but I explain, and then they start to see what I am communicating,” Mukundente noted. Both Mukundente and Ineza say public understanding of art is slowly growing in Rwanda, especially among people who don’t come from artistic backgrounds. They have noticed more visitors at exhibitions, and not just fellow artists. “Before, exhibitions were mostly attended by people already in art. Now, you see friends, family members, even neighbors coming in. They might not understand everything at first, but they engage, and ask questions. That’s a big change,” Ineza noted. Mukundente said she invited her family to the exhibition, and they were surprised by what they saw. They had assumed the paintings were created without much thought, but after experiencing the artworks and understanding the stories behind them, they felt proud of the meaning and effort behind the pieces. Paintings in the exhibition are priced between Rwf 300,000 and Rwf 600,000. While the artists say that selling art in Rwanda can still be difficult, they believe the value of creative work is being recognized more and more. “People sometimes don’t understand the time and energy it takes but that is changing slowly. You just have to keep going,” Mukundente said. The two artists had never collaborated until they brought this project to life, but found that their shared focus on women’s stories made the process easier. When they began planning Threads of Becoming, they started by discussing what theme would connect their work. Both had already been painting women in previous projects, so the direction came naturally. Mukundente noted that they didn’t want to paint just anything, but what is important and resonating to them.

Entertainment

Threads of Becoming: When women tell stories of women through painting