“Congo avenir” is Amani Bodo’s first solo exhibition in France.

Born in Kinshasa (DR Congo) in 1988, Amani Bodo lives and works in the country, and is a figurative artist whose preferred style is symbolic, with a surrealist feel at times.

His favourite subjects are Africa’s place in the world and social issues. Just like so many young Congolese and Africans, Amani Bodo is saddened by the state of his country and wonders “what is going wrong?”. To what extent are Africa’s supporters or protectors to blame? The exhibition features several paintings on this topic, including Afrique bien protégée, a reinterpretation of Norman Rockwell’s famous work.

Amani also explores national and international social issues, such as the misguided ways and difficulties of the Catholic Church (Les chocs du pape), and family, with a work paying tribute to his late father, the artist Pierre Bodo (Héritage Bodo), and another painting depicting his two sons (Congo avenir), looking determined and reaching for the future, symbols of hope of better days ahead.

Amani Bodo also excels when depicting the SAPE movement, a Congolese sociocultural phenomenon, which is all about classy extravagance, and is elevated to the rank of religion by some of its followers.

Bodo’s backgrounds are his artistic hallmark and are a rash of flecked colours. The backgrounds are shaded, with earth and sky forming a continuum.

> Go to the artist’s biography