Nyandungu Eco-Park is bringing together artists from Rwanda, Africa and beyond in a new exhibition that seeks to use art and storytelling to deepen public engagement with environmental conservation. Titled Soil & Water: Kigali Crossings, the initiative was launched on Friday, August 28, in partnership with the NIROX Foundation of South Africa. ALSO READ: Nyandungu eco-park to host global art, conservation initiative The exhibition officially opens on August 29 and will run until March 2027, featuring artist residencies, artworks created in response to Nyandungu’s natural environment, as well as performances, concerts, community activities and other public events. Among the artists participating in the exhibition is Lo Makandal, an environmental artist from Johannesburg, South Africa, whose work explores environmental restoration through soil, plants and land art. “One of the main things that I work with is activated effective microorganisms. I use them in the same way that a painter uses paint. I’m a sculptor and a maker, and I incorporate them into my artistic practice,” she said. ALSO READ: Nyandungu Eco-Park expands investment drive Makandal said the microorganisms are gradually released into the environment, where they can help restore soil and water. She said she plans to work with environmental specialists in Rwanda to explore their use in Nyandungu Eco-Park’s waterways, which she said could help clean the water over time. Telesphore Ngoga, Conservation Analyst at the Rwanda Nature Foundation, said the programme gives artists from Rwanda and beyond an opportunity to draw inspiration from Nyandungu and translate their experiences into art. “The artists’ creativity offers fresh ways to view this landscape and the ecological systems that sustain it. Their installations invite reflection on our relationship with nature, our duty to future generations, and the need to protect the resources that sustain life.” ALSO READ: Nyandungu Eco-Park recorded over 76,000 visitors in 2024 “These works do not seek to replace nature. Rather, they enrich its interpretation. They allow visitors to experience Nyandungu not only through its wetlands, plants, birds, and waterways, but also through the insights and imagination of the artists who have engaged with this place,” he added. Guy Hedderwick, Managing Director of QA Venue Solutions Rwanda, which manages the park, said the partnership with the NIROX Foundation was driven by an interest in using art to communicate the importance of conservation. “The wonderful thing about art is it's about your own personal interpretation of it, and therefore every person who comes and views it will get a different story out of it,” he said. Hedderwick said a visit to NIROX Foundation helped inspire the idea of bringing a similar intersection of art and nature to Nyandungu. He said the exhibition is also intended to encourage more people to visit Nyandungu and appreciate the importance of wetlands within Kigali.
