Poem 4

Sophie Kabaka (Soka) is a Rwandan-French writer and visual artist who lives between Lisbon and Kigali. She grew up in Niamey (Niger), moved to France to study Economics, Human Sciences and International Development.

From the world she observes & navigates, she questions how the (neo)colonial gaze spreads into the experience of everyday life: how we learn and unlearn, how we teach, how we express our feelings or even define ourselves in our relationships of all nature.

Using storytelling & visuals, she wants to illustrate the tales of the artifacts she encounters in her imaginary room: the multiple reflections of herself in the mirror, how to repair/rebuild a home when it has been destroyed, traces of exile and movements, community as well as vulnerability.

This series explores afro descendant friends, sisters, cousins, lovers and self. Each portrait represents a poem. In part of Rwandan culture, emotions are non always visible. Soka opts for drawing, a language that speaks without words, to bear witness in reserve.

Charcoal traces the story of how a portrait, a souvenir, can preserve, celebrate life and beauty. In this series, the artist shares the memory of relatives who failed to grow up. As beloved latecomers, the memory constitutes their present. Charcoal is also intertwined with family gatherings and activities in Rwandan and Nigerien homes. Living visually, it’s seeking beauty in pain, in the energy of dark hues and warm shadows. Through these portraits, the artist aims to celebrate the portraits of high-spirited, dark-skinned, exhilarating, diverse, and unapologetically self-confident women.