** Kinshasa through the eyes of Masaki Ndonga: an artistic exploration of daily life **
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the capital Kinshasa often presents itself as a marked contrast place, where beauty rubs shoulders with difficulty. It is in this dynamic city that the artist Masaki Ndonga offers a poignant overview of daily life through his exhibition “At the heart of life”, currently presented at the French Institute. With a mixture of childhood memories, impressionist touches and colorful emotions, Ndonga vibrates the reality of the street, the market and the Congo river.
Ndonga’s work is distinguished by its use of color and form to illustrate scenes rooted in the daily life of Kinois. From a simple trip to the Selembao market with his mother, the artist draws a narrative thread rich in lessons. His memories, marked by images of women fighting to subsist, find echo in vibrant canvases full of emotions. For this artist, it is not just a question of representing melancholy, but rather of infusing a note of hope in an environment sometimes overwhelming. This approach underlines a universal quest for light in the middle of shadows.
The “Winner” canvas is a revealing example of this approach. In two words, it illustrates a socio -cultural phenomenon: the search for fast gains through games of chance. By highlighting symbols of resistance and combat, Ndonga evokes a delicate aspect of Congolese life, where already weakened, the populations aspire to financial miracle. This raises essential questions about the nature of hope in precarious socio-economic contexts: can hope sometimes fuel risk behaviors? Can we take advantage of such a reality without encouraging stigma?
Christian Lepira, an exhibition commissioner, underlines the impressionist style of Ndonga as a surprising element in the landscape of contemporary art in the DRC. This assertion deserves to be examined in the broader context of Congolese artistic production. Should art in the Democratic Republic of Congo have an imperatively adhere to stylistic or conceptual expectations defined by Western standards? Far from a unique approach, contemporary art in the DRC could gain to embrace a plurality of sensitivities, where each voice, each personal trajectory enriches and complicates the collective story.
These themes invite a larger reflection on art as a mirror of society. To what extent can art not only document reality but also influence perceptions? This poses important issues for artists: responsibility and power. The artist is not just a simple observer, he is also a key actor who shapes dialogues around vulnerability and resilience.
By offering a space to discover these works until June 21, the French Institute plays a crucial role in the dissemination of Congolese culture within an international artistic scene. For Congolese visitors as well as for those from outside, this exhibition then becomes an invitation to go beyond the shots often associated with the DRC.
The lighting of daily life in Kinshasa by Masaki Ndonga is not only an artistic act; It is an affirmation of Congolese identity, a call for recognition and a step towards building a community based on empathy and mutual understanding. While Kinshasa continues to navigate through complex challenges, perhaps it is possible that this captain becomes a bastion of poetry and creativity, as the artist hopes through his work. What could we learn from the stories told by these canvases and these memories? Perhaps, by this exploration, one could discover paths to a brighter future.