Luck is a concept that takes many forms depending on circumstances, space and time. In Kinshasa, a familiar expression from Papa Wemba translates this concept: “Chance eloko pamba”, which relates to a turnaround in the social situation through work. It is in this perspective that the artist Patsheli Kahambo presented his works at the Malabo gallery with an exhibition entitled “Dice games on the wall”.
For the artist, luck is not the result of chance, but rather that of hard work. The exhibited works reflect the reality of life in Kinshasa, a city of more than 13 million inhabitants where unemployment is high. The protagonists in Kahambo’s works are the small traders who are struggling to survive in this difficult context.
Among the trades represented is that of taxi-motorcycle driver, which takes an important place in the life of the people of Kinshasa. Through her paintings, the artist has highlighted women motorcycle taxi drivers, demonstrating that today’s life is fair and that women are also capable of taking on these jobs.
Patsheli Kahambo, who resides in Kinshasa primarily uses acrylic for his works, is an energetic artist who captures the soul of the city and its people through the vivid colors of his canvases. This exhibition, which runs until July 10 at the Malabo gallery, is a real exhibition of life in Kinshasa, reflecting the quest for survival and the hopes of small traders in a city on the move.