'Life in Town' by Ange Kumbi (circa 1990s)

'Life in Town', oil on board, by Ange Kumbi (circa 1990s). Over the last decade, there has been a growing interest in African contemporary art in Europe and the United States, as witnessed by the numerous international exhibitions and art biennales showcasing contemporary African art. The driving force behind this interest is a desire to draw a different, more complex and nuanced picture of Africa than that portrayed by the media in general. With his art depicting scenes of everyday life in the Congo where he grew up, Ange Kumbi is recognised as a painter whose works tell the stories of his country in visual form. Kumbi was born in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the 1950s. As a keen observer of life, Kumbi's painting here portrays people in the town either going about their business or watching others go about their business. The vibe the artist depicts is communal, friendly and neighbourly. Unfortunately, this contrasts sharply with the reality in the country where conflict, political repression and instability have reigned since it achieved independence in 1960. Keenly aware of this dichotomy, the artist of this painting has chosen to focus on the good in his country and that clearly is the people like those in this warming portrayal. The artwork is in good overall condition having recently undergone a reconditioning by an art restoration professional. The artist's signature appears in the lower right hand. The painting is newly framed in a tray. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying this listing. Upon request a video will be provided. This gallery holds a total of three paintings by Ange Kumbi (including this one) - please enquire on this platform for more information. 

About the Artist: Born in Kinshasa in 1954, Ange Kumbi is one of the most significant representatives of Congolese Popular Art. He has the same narrative style as Cheri Samba, with whom he worked in the mid 70s in Kinshasa when they were both students in the workshop of the well-known publicist Mbuta Masunda. His paintings have centred round the everyday life of the Congolese living out their lives in the African cultural metropolis that is Kinshasa; scenes of street life, of lavers, of shady transactions, corruption, fraud, and crimes of politicians and their foreign accomplices. In its heyday the city was known as Kin La Belle - Kinshasa the Beautiful. Decades of turmoil in the country, brought on by dictatorships, civil wars and corruption, have given the Congolese painters reason to paint with force. Ange Kumbi's work is humorous, satirical and moving. Most recently his paintings have incorporated a dreamlike surreal quality - the paintings are the essence of the collective memory of the people. Ange Kumbi has been exhibiting since 1987 and has exhibited, amongst others, in Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Vienna and the USA. He lived and worked in Kinshasa till 2003. Ange Kumbi now lives in exile in Erlangen, Germany. (Ref: 'Contemporary Art from Africa 2008 - 2009', by Thorup Tine & Sam Cuong)

Dimensions with frame:

H 57 cm / 22.4"

W 69 cm / 27.2"

Dimensions without frame:

H 54 cm / 21.3"

W 66 cm / 26"