Outstanding craftsmanship marks Epa Binamungu’s latest exhibition dubbed The Journey with the Sun. The exhibition looks at his achievements over the past 45 years as a visual artist.

The collection, which went on show from November 9 until the 19th, adorns the newly established Kigali School of Architecture and Built Environment. It is the first exhibition by a visual artist and showcases his immense skill, which he has honed over time and inspired by time, culture, society and nature.

The Journey with the Sun is a journey through Binamungu’s rich contemporary art life, expressed through canvas, using acrylic paints.

The main subject of his paintings is the sun. Whether in his semi-abstracts, and abstract craft, the image of the sun is what is common in most of them. Images of people, hills and mountains also relate to the sun as their source of light.

“The use of the sun is a reflection of my life and career journey, which has been bright,” said Binamungu. The 64-year-old, who is a graduate in Bio-Chemistry, said he has no regrets about following his passion in art.

Binamungu is inspired daily by society and the environment, which he incorporates in his works.

“I adapt daily to how the world has evolved,” he said.

The artist also has immense skill in his use of colour. Most of his paintings are of mixed media. He recycles what one would call waste, into beauty, as he uses material like sand, old mosquito nets, sawdust and backcloth, which he binds with glue and acrylics on canvas.

His piece titled Le Temps Qu’il Aut, is a 98cm by 80cm mixed media painting, in which he uses canvas, a mosquito net, acrylics paints to create a unique semi-abstract craft. It is similar to More Light, a 98cm by 80cm painting.

La Viole, is a 50cm by 60cm piece using backcloth, sand and acrylics.To a close follower of his

works, Binamingu’s touch with a palette knife isn’t lost. Through some of his works like the 120 by 90cm piece titled Lecture, the artist explores images of a group of people, all created using a palette knife.

Binamungu’s use of social media to market his works and publicise his events has made him a prominent legendary visual artist.

He also runs the Inganzo Art Centre, an Art hub located in Masaka, which he established in 2014, as a way of sharing experiences with society as well as connecting local, regional and international artists through workshops and joint exhibitions