An unique exhibition featuring museum quality embroideries created by women of Rwanda will be on display at the Puffin Cultural Forum, from June 8-July 25, with an opening reception Friday, June 8 at 7 p.m. The creative force behind them is Christiane Rwagatare, who fled Rwanda with her family and escaped the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi.
Puffin hosts opening of exhibition, “Pax Rwanda: Embroideries of the Women of Savane Rutongo”. Here is one of the artworks of wheat harvesters.
While studying business and living in Romania, she learned European embroidery techniques; when she returned to Rwanda after the genocide, she met a group of women trying to earn a living by embroidering tablecloths and other small linens and offered to teach them European methods, which she further developed into her own special technique. From that beginning, she and the women of the village formed Savane Rutongo, a workshop where 15 women work fulltime on the intricate embroideries, from canvas-sized pieces to wall hangings.
Their skill, inspiration, and talent bring Christiane’s drawings to life, infusing them with a remarkable sense of color and form and reflecting a vision of the reconstruction, reconciliation and desire for peace occurring all over Rwanda. Several of the embroideries are on permanent display in Rwanda’s national museum, the Rwesero Art Museum in Nyanza.
Curator Juliana Meehan will speak and answer questions at the opening. Free and open to the public. Regular gallery hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays, noon to 4 p.m. The Puffin Cultural Forum is located at 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck. Call 201-836-3499 or visit www.PuffinCulturalForum.org
The Puffin Foundation, Ltd. underwrites this and all other Puffin Cultural Forum events and programs in order to make it possible for everyone to attend.