( CNN ) -- Go to Google and type in Rwanda and the word genocide creeps in instantly . Do a similar search in Google Images and your screen is quickly inundated with piles of scattered hacked bodies , grisly mountains of skulls and long columns of fleeing refugees . It 's been 20 years since the devastating violence that left about one million people dead in Rwanda , but global perceptions of the tiny country in east-central Africa are often still stuck in 1994 . Images of horror and ruin , as captured by the lenses of foreigners , are still circulating internationally , even though the country has come a long way since those dark days . To address this , a new exhibition opens Friday in London , showcasing insightful snapshots of daily life in today 's Rwanda as seen through the eyes of local photographers . Called `` Rwanda in Photographs : Death Then , Life Now , '' the show aims to `` communicate the complexities of survival after mass violence , '' organizers say , while helping international audiences to `` understand the scale and scope of the country 's journey . '' The exhibition features arresting images by more than 10 professional and amateur photographers who back in November took part in an eight-day workshop led by the prominent Nigerian photographer Andrew Esiebo and the Kenya-based American photojournalist Brendan Bannon . `` We worked with the Rwandan photographers to give them the opportunity to visually tell how they see their country , '' explains Esiebo , whose work has been exhibited around the world . `` It was a platform to allow people to come together to tell their stories , '' he adds . `` Often , if you see images coming from Rwanda , the majority has been taken by non-Rwandans -- this is a chance for them to question the way their country is being interpreted . '' The final result is a collection of diverse images ranging from intimate portraits to eye-catching landscapes that provide an insight into the complex changes that are currently underway in Rwanda -- snapshots of the rising capital Kigali , where new buildings pop up and assertive women take a leading role in urban commercial life , are accompanied by scenes of rural life , where poverty and hardship endure . The exhibition also features `` Returnees , '' a series of portraits taken by Esiebo capturing Rwandans from all walks of life who 've come back to help in the redevelopment of their country . `` The people make the country , '' says Esiebo , who decided to extend his stay in the landlocked country after the workshop to shoot the `` Returnees '' and also produce a Rwandan version of his popular series of photographs of West African barber shops . `` It was quite interesting to see young , vibrant people coming to add value to the society , '' he says . `` It 's one of the most fulfilling projects I 've seen myself doing lately , especially in the frame of questioning what people see about Rwandans . '' Click through the gallery above to see some of the photographs featured in the exhibition . `` Rwanda In Photographs : Death Then , Life Now '' is presented by the Cultural Institute at King 's at the Inigo Rooms , Somerset House East Wing , London from 21st March -- 30th April . The exhibition is open daily 12.00-18.00 , and until 8pm on Thursdays . Admission is free . Find out more about it here . READ THIS : Orphaned siblings create Rwanda 's Craigslist . READ THIS : Rwanda 's B-Boys - From the streets to break beats .
A new exhibition in London showcases the work of Rwandan photographers . It aims to challenge global stereotypes about post - genocide Rwanda . The photographers question the way their country is viewed internationally . ` ` ' in Photographs : Death Then , Life Now '' runs until the end of next month .