Cheri Samba’s works are double sided: they’re colorful pieces with a dark message hidden behind it.
Samba is a Congolese painter from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The artist put all of his attention toward art. At just sixteen, he quit school and began working as a sign painter in Kinshasa. This is where he found the artists Moké and Bodo, who later made one of the most popular painting schools in Congo.
After opening his own studio and working as an illustrator for magazines and billboards, he became a central figure for a documentary Kin Kiesse, where he expressed his opinions on his home. But one exhibition in Paris made him known globally: Les Magiciens de la Terre at Centre Georges Pompidou.
Samba’s self portrait at Les Magiciens de la Terre (2017). https://www.frieze.com/article/other-stories
Samba’s paintings are rich in color, and this brightness creates friction with the real message of his paintings. His pieces all address themes of poverty, corruption, identity, and culture. These are things that Samba experienced in childhood, and he wants his work to be honest so that it can be represented internationally. The artist also wants to set an example as a successful African artist.
This artist paints nothing but the truth, a stark contrast to artists who’ve experimented with fake realities and incorporated more of their imagination. But this is what makes Samba’s work stand out amongst many other artists.
https://www.magnin-a.com/en/artists/47-cheri-samba/biography/
Today, he is still working and making art in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.