‘Walk With Me,’ an art exhibition curated by Jemima Kakizi, features a group of ten female artists who are continuing the much needed conversations around mental health through art. The opening of the exhibition held at L’ espace took place on January 7 and will end on January 28. The 10 artists who expressed their artworks through art installation, digital art, photography and paintings include Odile Uwera, Chel Teta, Ingride Mukundente, Fabiola U. Rutamu, Natacha Muziramakenga, Ines Ineza, Poupoutte, Christel Arras, Myriam Birara and Alice Kayibanda. Jemima Kakizi, a certified lay counselor, curator and visual artist revealed that this exhibition aims at starting conversations around mental health and working together so that people can heal and to end the entire stigma around mental health. “The opening went better than I expected because so many people came through to experience what we created for them. They were able to ask themselves questions that are mental health related that we don’t usually talk about. The exhibition is fixed for three weeks at L'espace. People are free to come and check out the art works and on the last day we will have a panel and talk about these mental health conversations that we fear or not talk about at all,” said Kakizi. In February the artists will also move to schools and youth centers across the country with art works to talk and learn about mental health through art. Fabiola Rutamu Uwera, a lawyer, lay counselor and multi-disciplinary artist showcased an art installation she named ‘Sous la Table’ at the exhibition. The art is made of a table and two chairs that portrait an individual’s journey in life. “My art installation talks about the small details that women go through in life that tend to affect their mental health. Crisis of identity is one of the things that cause mental health so I wanted to talk about how one can embrace the ever shifting nature of selfhood. The changing and not being comfortable with who you are at the moment keeps disturbing your mental health if you don’t learn how to embrace them,” said Rutamu. She added that the art work represents a space of conversations between people discussing either deep conversations or not. Ingrid Mukundente, a semi abstract artist explained the inspiration behind her art work named “Ngira Nkugire” that embodies the relationship between a mother and her children. “A mother has a unique love for her children and that is what I wanted to show in my art work. Many children open up to their mothers the most and in them they find comfort and ease when they face hardships in life. Everyone needs somebody in this life so I wanted to show that through my art work,” said Mukundente.
