The exquisite art of a Rwandan mountain village

 

This remarkable collection was brought to global renound by an American teacher named Juliana Meehan, who spotted the embroideries during a visit to Kigali. Juliana's fascination with the pieces lead to her meeting Christiane Rwagatare, the artistic director of the workshop, and visiting the studio where the embroideries are made by hand. The meeting was fortuitous; Juliana went on to curate several exhibitions across the US, and set up the website, PaxRwanda, establishing recognition of the works internationally.

 

 

 

The pieces are large, some spanning 1.5 meters. The women use 3 different coloured threads on one needle, mixing their colours as a painter would mix paint. 

 

Christiane Rwagatare's vision, of a collective that would provide an income for these women and their families in the aftermath of the genocide, has created more than just world-class textile art. It has brought hope and purpose too. The works reflect back the joy, colour and community spirit of Rwandan life and in doing so, the bonds between people are re-woven. 

 

In contrast to the Western world, the work is cooperative and community based; no one individual claims the title of artist. The women simply sign each work as the ‘Savane Rutongo-Kabuye’, reflecting where the pieces are made.

 

This rejection of individual acclaim is entirely in tune with the culture and sensibilities of the women. There is variation of style, but each piece is constructed within and as a group, from the early drawings to the needlework and the washing, stretching and mounting of the finished piece.

 

 

Astonishingly, the Savane Rutongo-Kabuye artists hail from both sides of the Rwandan genocide and many lost husbands and children during the war. Yet they work as a collective – with conviviality. What wisdom there is in this – and what hope for human forgiveness.