Mixed-media art is a trending art form that not many Rwandan visual artists have adopted or art enthusiasts embraced. Nonetheless, Timothy Wandulu, who embarked on it several years ago, has of late emerged with a fresher approach through which he intends to raise awareness on breast cancer.

“Women in Pink,” a solo exhibition by Wandulu that ran in Kigali from October 16-31, is an innovation that he creatively dedicated to October, the global breast cancer awareness month.

“I have, over time, closely monitored Rwandan women’s awareness of the breast cancer scourge since only a few of them get information about the disease,” Wandulu told Rwanda Today.

Having prepared the ground for the project for the past two years, Wandulu finally took a stand to share the story artistically.

Unlike “Back to Basics,” his maiden solo exhibition three years ago which encompassed sculptures and acrylics paintings, “Women in Pink” takes Wandulu’s audience into mixed-media artworks, which, using acrylics, he paints on canvas.

In more than 17 portraits, Wandulu ventures into the realistic art of public figures, mostly standing on a podium as they give a speech. A sombre mood do the portraits portray, a feeling that the subject is passing on a serious message.

Wandulu uses realistic art because, through experience, he believes it is what the public better relates to. His use of the palette knife on the portraits causes them to have a rough texture, which creates that tangible, yet bumpy, feel to the painting.

Hot pink, the colour that is dedicated to the anti-breast cancer campaign, dominates his art. Using material from newspapers and magazines, the artist further integrates collage but in a sequential way so as to pass on more information relating to the subject.

Rarely do public-figure artworks feature at exhibitions. However, Wandulu prefers, among others, images of such figures as Rwanda’s First Lady Jeannette Kagame and her daughter Ange Kagame for their roles and positions, and from whom many Rwandan women and girls draw inspiration.

‘Not in it for the money’

Love and Inspiration is a portrait of Mrs Kagame giving a speech while Inspiring Generations shows Ange, the First Daughter. Within the images are words in Kinyarwanda and English – such as “education,” “breast cancer fight,” “ubuzima” (life), “umubyeyi” (parent), “twifashe” (abstain).

Wandulu said that, although the exhibition, staged at Inema Art Gallery at Kiyovu’s Heaven Restaurant, was not a money-making venture, he believed art enthusiasts who purchase the artworks would be aiming at disseminating his message.

This is not the first time art is being used for community awareness in Rwanda, however.

Last year, under “Kwiga, Kurema, Kureba” (Learn, Create and See) project, a group of Rwandan visual artists, with the support of Rwandan Biometrical Centre, did more than 30 murals countrywide that were aimed at creating awareness about diseases such as malaria and HIV/Aids.

“I also aim at awaking the public about the power of art, which I believe can further serve a positive role,” said Wandulu, 25, who hopes to visit the country’s breast cancer hospital so as to get more acquainted with the disease.

“I don’t know a lot about the disease but I hope to share with the public whatever I learn,” he said.

While revealing that his exhibition will now be held every year, Wandulu said he hoped to team up with communities and engage them in activities such as mural painting, exhibitions, sensitisation and plays, which he believes will have a huge effect on the society.