A BURUNDI national, orphaned by the Hutu-Tutsi genocide in Rwanda where he trained at Nyundo Art School, Jean Ryan Hakizimana grew up to carve a remarkable life in Ireland’s midwest. A prolific painter of range, teacher of art, quiet ambassador for African migrants and now an author, Hakizimana nurtured a fecund talent despite his appalling past.
Seeking asylum in Limerick he was fostered in part by Fr Liam Ryan at the Augustinians, from whom Hakizimana takes his middle name. This Burundi got to hone his craft further through Kate Hennessy’s lessons with Doras and that organisation’s work with refugees. Bi-annual exhibitions have been a feature since with no shortage of public platform eager to host this African’s colourful works.
Refer to www.jeanart.org to view canvasses from his past 14 exhibitions, or better still, pay a visit to his current show.
Based at Augustinian Church’s Basement Art Studio, it’s to be launched this Thursday August 20 at 7.30 by a past art pupil of his, Annette O’Malley.
“I’ve about 50 paintings in all in this show which I have called Mystical as there is an element of mystery in each of the paintings – they are mostly abstract in genre”.
These oils and acrylics range from 12” x 14” in dimension to 30” x 40”. Some 12 works which will be raffled.
“Essentially, people have a chance to identify a painting from a photograph of one segment of it and enter their name in the raffle. The 12 paintings will be given away on the night to correct answers entered in the draw”.
If you can’t make opening night, tough, but Mystical will hang until September 18. The basement studio at O’Connell Street opens Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm each week. Jean Ryan Hakizimana was the subject of RTE’s documentary series Would You Believe in 2004 and has had his life story treated for academic analysis and publication. He is set to publish a fictional work of his own, The Migrants and Visual Imaginations, this side of Christmas.
