MEET THE ARTIST: Gaetan SHEMA
My name is Shema Gaetan, and I’m an artist based in Kigali, Rwanda.
For me, art is life. It’s an explosion of presence, of being. It’s how I experience the world around me and how I choose to give back to it. That’s why, when the opportunity to collaborate with ZVET for the NITA Collection photoshoot came up, it felt natural. There was a resonance between what I create and what ZVET expresses, a shared desire to tell stories about life, connection, and authenticity.
"Life, Through Colour and Fabric"
When it came to selecting the clothing for the shoot, my approach was simple: I let the colours of life guide me. I chose green, white, and brown. Each one carries a piece of the story:
- Green is the colour of life itself, of growth, renewal, and nature.
- White, symbolizing water, the purity and flow that sustains us.
- Brown is the colour of soil; without the earth beneath us, nothing grows. “The soil is life. Without soil, we can’t live. Without water, we can’t grow.”
In combining these colours, I wanted to ground the visuals in reality, in the everyday materials of life, the things that nourish us even when we forget they’re there.
"Connection, Feminine Energy & Ubuntu"
What drew me to ZVET’s NITA Collection was not just the beauty of the pieces; it was the philosophy behind them. The designs speak of femininity, of Ubuntu, of the interconnectedness that binds us all. “I am because you are.” That’s not just a saying, it’s a way of living, of creating, of relating to others.
I was particularly drawn to the earrings, their energy, and their intention. I love them, and I even wear them myself because for me, art isn’t limited by gender or form, it’s about the energy it carries and the story it tells.
Art as Expression of Reality. At the heart of everything I create, whether it’s visual art, clothing, or collaborations, is a desire to showcase reality. The real lives of people. The processes of living, growing, shedding, and blooming.
Working with ZVET on this shoot was a way to merge these visions: art that lives, jewelry that speaks, colours that breathe.
Art is life, and life is meant to be shared.
With love,
Gaetan
