Interview with Mucyo Alain Pierrick
Darius: So what inspired you to start doing projects as an artist?
Pierrick: I could say the inspiration came from envy and of course,
money. But mainly learning from fellow artists who do better than I did.
Yeah. And I can say as of now, there's still a lot to learn, but the
progress is good. And I hope I learn more.
Darius: Yeah. And when did you start? When was your first project?
And what what like what sparked that first project?
Pierrick: For my first project, I was in Senior 4 in 2016. There was this
girl at the school where I did my secondary school education, and she was
doing her final project, and she had done an architectural study of a stadium.
So seeing her do that actually made me envy her a lot, so much that I
started doing projects on my own. Which by then I didn't really understand,
but I had to do it because I liked it. And with the as the love and passion
I have, I can now tell you that it's the only thing I feel like doing.
Darius: And have you ever done artistic projects on paper? And how would you
compare that with using digital media or like keeping your stuff online?
Pierrick: Well, everything starts from paper, you know. That's the first thing
to do when you want to learn the digital world. You have to start with the
look on the number one paper. So I started using papers before. Let me give you
an example. Like in the architectural studies, we started using graphic pencils,
then from the graphic pencils, you start using what we call mechanical pencils,
they are more precise than the graphic ones. Once that done, you integrate that with
programs which help you visualize the elements like LUMION and V Ray. they help you
better visualize those projects you've done in the CAD programs into 3d realistic models.
So everything starts from paper. But comparing the difficulties, having to do things on
paper is more difficult. You have to bend your back on the drawing , which is different
from computer programs say like in ARCHICAD. where on paper you have to draw one line at
a time, in ARCHICAD you could just create an array of lines and draw like eight lines
at once. So yes, it's easier in the digital form than on the paper. But you
have to start with the paper to understand that stone.
Darius: What challenges have you have encountered so far? You said it's been almost
six years because you started in 2016? Can you believe it? challenges have
you made? So far?
Pierrick: Well, the challenges the first challenge is, most people out here don't trigger
recognize your work. So you really have to make them understand that your work deserves the
amount of money you're asking. Say an example if like a simple logo, a simple logo should be
charged. The minimum should be like 500 USD, but up to someone who could just charge the tell
you that, you know, you're my friend just helped me, I'll just give you 15 USD, but that doesn't
actually even make up the amount I use the buying my my subscription of internet monthly. Yeah,
so that that's a real, real big challenge. Other challenges are sometimes when actually when you
start working, you you have to learn that every work day deserves downpayment, like they have to
first pay like half of what you you agreed to before you start working. Because in my first year,
I, I, my first job I had an architectural drawing to do normally those drawings take almost 1000 USD
for completion. So I did it without any down payment. All the requirements were mine, I had to
improvise, you know. And then later, when I was done, that client told me pay me only 200 Use this,
I had already used almost 500 USD on my part. So yeah, that was a loss of 300 USD s and my time and
all that. But, you know, you learn from your own mistakes, because like right now, you just have to
pay half the price of that for me to even start talking to you. That's the deal. If not, then I don't
mind to just have to find someone else. Yeah. So that's also another challenge. And one other challenge
I could say is the gender based, gender based because obviously, you understand that most mostly most
enterprises out here are run by men. So it means they're more attracted to women than they are attracted
to us men, which means sometimes a woman that's the work you're supposed to get because she's a woman.
And that's a problem out here in our country, a very big one, but you know you do with it. It happened
once to me, but you know, after some time, they realized their mistake, and they called me off. So now
I'm working, which is I can say a blessing for now. Yeah, well, it's a challenge.
Darius: How do you how do you find clients? How do you market your your abilities?
Pierrick: Well, that's actually where the links to be used and social media actually, there is, I think,
nowadays, there is no better way to market your services. And that than using social media, because many
people spend a lot of time on social media, I myself spend a lot of time on social media learning, you know,
different things that I don't know, as of now. So that's the first way the second is actually joining the
exhibitions, different exhibitions, or at museums, you know, it just depends on the medium you want to
showcase, then, like, if I wanted to showcase my capability in architectural visualizations, then which which
reaching through the interior design, then I'll have to join exhibitions of, say, construct construction
contractors. And a good example, here in our country, FDG U, PG Africa, NPD COTRACO, they sometimes have an
exhibition in June, mostly at the Kigali convention center. So that's why you, you have to like, make a stand
and showcase your projects. So other than that, you get clients from your clients. So when you do your work
better for this client, he will recommend you to another so you have to really put everything in every project
so that that client recommends it to another.
Darius: So when you when you think about links, and and their power to connect websites, different parts of
the world, different kinds of people? Do you see them being included in your projects? Are they how do you think
about links in general, and their use?
Pierrick: I could say that a crucial part for someone who does their work digitally, because not everyone will
have to access your computer to your computer or your phone, to actually see your projects, you have to share
them. And you can't tell everyone to to, to, you can tell them verbally, like, go on this website. And you understand
now you just have to like a good example, if I wanted someone to see my projects, I could just share them via email
my link to my portfolio, depending on what they wanted to see or what they asked for them to see. Another thing say
like if I have an Instagram account, which by now it's still not as powerful as I wanted to, because I haven't put on
my projects on it. But at a later time when all the projects are there, some of those projects are to be sold digitally,
or if they want them printed. So for me to actually talk to them. I have to include my whatsapp business app. Yeah, link
in the in the description so so that they can use it to actually see the catalog. If they wish for other products or They
want to directly call or talk to me, they still use that link. Another thing where links are used is sometimes, like, given
an example is the COVID-19. So there are some time some meetings that we need to attend. And we have to share those links
so that people attend the meetings that we want them to attend. So that's why I said, having to know those links, is something
crucial for any artists out here wants to use any digital form to showcase their work.
Darius: In your work, Do you have a role model or is there someone who inspires you?
Pierrick: Well, there is always someone that inspires me but in my line of work, it's an Italian artist called Roberto Ferrerio.
He's a master in in oil painting. Baroque painting is a form of oil painting. So he is the one that excites me, even if it's not
about painting, I just inspire myself on his visuals to do my other projects. So consider that guy as my role model.
Darius: Have you encountered any challenges with internet connectivity? If so how did you deal with it and how fo you think this
problem might be solved?
Pierrick: Well, it's obviously it's a problem, because good at some for like in our country. The connectivity. Yeah, it's good
because we have 4g connections as of now, and they're trying to integrate 5g connections. Yeah, some places now have 5g connections.
But the problem with those connections is they're still at a higher price. And we have a low low salary average here in Rwanda. Yeah,
depending on the prices say like the unlimited monthly internet costs 60 USD, but a low average here in Ronda is 30 USD. So I guess
the internet should be at least lower than 30 For most people, but other than that, the connection is good. It's really good. Well,
when you want to work, you have to invest a lot of money. But it's good. What I can say to tackle the problems, actually, the problem
is enough. We always seek to solutions to our problems outside of Africa. So that's why actually the internet is limited because most
of the carriers here in Rwanda are foreign companies. So the thing I can say, so that should tackle that problem is actually investing
into the African market, trying to make something out of the the young ones that are capable of actually making things work, because
there are some people actually here, even here in Rwanda that actually use it freely just because they can. They don't buy it.
But yeah, it's illegal. I know, but they were doing means they are capable of doing things actually, that the government doesn't
recognize. So I think the government should focus more on on the marketing side than on the foreign ones. Because the foreign market,
actually, it's the one that decides what kind of connection we should have, not the government. So it's a problem. But if
we had the national one, a national carrier, our own, I think that problem would would actually be more Matakohe than it is now.
Darius: Any last message you would like to send to everyone?
Pierrick: Well, in our work you have to kind of integrate with each other. So I really encourage everyone to ask favors. They may ask
for information where they don't understand anything at all. It really helps in the in the art world. And yeah, I think it's more of being
friendly than actually being professional. Yeah, you make more connections when you're much of a friendly person. But when you're too professional,
sometimes you lose opportunities. You have to integrate with different disciplines. Say if you do web design, you also have to seek help from
designers, because they'll help you better design the website get a little knowledge about everything than a lot of knowledge about just a few things.
Contact Pierrick through
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