Chéri Samba

Chéri Samba or Samba wa Mbimba N’zingo Nuni Masi Ndo Mbasi (born 30 December 1956) is a Congolese painter from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is one of the best known contemporary African artists, with his works being included in the collections of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. A large number of his paintings are also found in The Contemporary African Art Collection (CAAC) of Jean Pigozzi.https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ch%C3%A9ri_Samba&action=edit Quotes I had noticed that people in the street would walk by paintings, glance at them and keep going. I thought that if I added a bit of text, people would have to stop and take time to read it, to get more into the painting and admire it. That's what I called the 'Samba signature.' From then on I put text in all my paintings.https://artsandculture/story/ch%C3%A9ri-samba-painting-daily-life-in-kinshasa-contemporary-african-art-collection-the-jean-pigozzi-collection/hQXhMRDtaLUtJg?hl=en&hl=en-US#:~:text=Samba%20has%20recalled%20how%20he%20came%20to,I%20put%20text%20in%20all%20my%20paintings.%E2%80%9D My painting is concerned with people's lives. I'm not interested in myths or beliefs. That's not my goal. I want to change our mentality that keeps us isolated from the world. I appeal to people's consciences. Artists must make people think.https://www.betbi.org/art/collection/larbre?hl=en-US#:~:text=The%20text%20at%20the%20bottom%20of%20the,the%20text%20he%20wrote%20on%20the%20painting. People do not throw stones at a tree that does not bear fruit or has bitter fruit." What is the future of our art in a world where living artists are mostly oppressed!https://www.arthistoryproject.com/artists/cheri-samba/what-future-for-our-art/?hl=en-US#:~:text=The%20paragraph%20inscribed%20at%20the%20top%20of,the%20Museum%20of%20Modern%20Art.%20Yes%2C%20but ‘When I paint, my main concerns are to represent things as they are, to communicate with humour, to ask relevant questions and to tell the truth I consider myself a sort of painter-journalist My source of inspiration is daily life As long as the world is the world, and writers have stories to tell, I will have something to say If I was in charge, I would stop everyone except children from going to church: it is such a performance. As far as I know, manna doesn’t fall from heaven anymore, so why do people waste time on their knees?’ ‘We need to change our mentality. There is so much to do. Instead of criticising things, each of us should consider how we can contribute, and be ready to do some work, even to start paying taxes Samba: interview 28 March 2007 My aim is to tell stories and call people's knowledge to mind I can express myself much better in paintings Sometimes you have to provoke by telling the truth My inspiration comes from everyday life, and I paint the reality that everybody knows Colour is life. Our heads must rotate as a spiral that surrounds us is none other than colours. Colour is the universe, the universe is life, painting is life Chéri Samba Illuminates Injustice Through Vibrant Art in Central Africa n.d I paint with a moral,to educate the general public about art and ideas The wisdom of learning is not necessarily the fruit of knowledge but, rather, the product of imagination CHÉRI SAMBA: GRIOT OF KINSHASA AND PARIS n.d My painting is concerned with people’s lives. I’m not interested in myths or beliefs. That’s not my goal. I want to change our mentality that keeps us isolated from the world. I appeal to people’s consciences. Artists must make people think Since I am the one who paints, these are my ideas, I decide on the subject, I decide on the comments... so why put someone else's face instead of mine? Unconventional Heroism: Chéri Samba's Artistic Journey 2008 If we have to appropriate places from young people all the time, why then do young people study? Why have children if we do not allow time for them to move on in life as well? When you come into the world, you don’t choose what you should be; it’s like, in a curious way, doing a job you didn’t choose My desire is to hold the attention of people in front of my work so that they take time to contemplate my work There is this relationship between the art understood by the people and art that is intended for the initiated, while the world belongs to everyone In my opinion, it is the artists who help the politicians to improve themselves The king of Kinshasa 11 September 2020 Today, I think we're accepted. Back then, we were not known Chéri Samba: 'I know how my painting will end' 4 November 2023 External Links References