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Jonathan Vatunga’s work originates in the observation of the daily struggles. It reflects a society where, as he says, “men are destroyed by men”.
“I represent distress, gently intertwined with joy to convey a message of peace, solidarity and hope by paying homage to these men, women and children while reflecting on their past and present, with the will to awaken society at last to project the future.”
Jonathan Vatunga (1996), graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinsasha, DRC in 2017, received early recognition for his candid paintings and collages in his own unique style and symbolism. Originating from a society with many conflicts and issues, Vatunga is deeply committed to exposing his observations of daily struggles in society and finding new hope and solutions. In the world of Vatunga “men are destroyed by men”, societies are fragile and disintegrated, full of injustice, with many people being displaced and suffering. Sometimes bordering the revolutionary, openly criticizing political leaders and situations, Vatunga also seeks to create hope, beauty and joy.
Vatunga typically presents a colourful and dynamic world in constant transformation by depicting its people. He forms his different characters by superimposed lines, disintegrating or decomposing under the pressure of society. He often uses collages of photographs an/or strong symbolism to give meaning to his characters and uses glasses to reflect their inner visions. He deconstructs the figure of the human body by showing the life that is being reconstructed, a story that is being rewritten.
Over the past few years, Vatunga has been participating internationally in many exhibitions in DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Senegal, South-Africa, France, Netherlands and Hong Kong, featured at AKAA Paris 2021 and has been auctioned in Brussels and Paris.
Reflux (duo exhibition with Bouvy Enkobo), OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands
OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands
Village Assouinde, Ivory Coast
#Faces, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands
AKAA Paris, via OpenArtExchange, Paris, France
Lille ArtUp!, via OpenArtExchange, Lille, France
Discovery Art Fair, via OpenArtExchange, Frankfurt, Germany
Stanley’s auction, Brussels, Belgium
Darkness rising, Eclectica Contemporary Gallery, Capetown, South-Africa
Exhibition at Oda Fine Art Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
St-ART Strasbourg, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Strasbourg, France
Mulhouse Art Fair, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Mulhouse, France
New World exhibiton OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands
Congo Eyes exhibition at Afric’art Gallery Hong Kong (CHINA)
Discovery exhibition at the Pullman Grand Hotel in Kinshasa Exhibition Auctions, Lisanga ya BIKOLO Gala
TASOK, Kinshasa, DR Congo
Gala Evening Exhibition, Ijaia Gallery ODE Africa Kinshasa, DR Congo
Exhibition Immigration and Integration, Dakar Biennial OFF, Senegal
Foundation exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts of Kinshasa, DR Congo
Regards exhibition at Mechand Bank TMB Trust Bank, Kinshasa, DR Congo
Exhibition FARA at the foundation the house of the artist (Cote D’Ivore)
Exhibition Source of Talent, 75 years of the Académies des Beaux-Arts of Kinshasa, DR Congo
Exhibition Open Door at the Embassy of Canada, Kinshasa, DR Congo
Exhibition Auctions, Elengi ya kokela TASOK Gala, Kinshasa, DR Congo
Exhibition, Sculpt our dreams Second edition at the Pullman Grand Hotel in Kinshasa, DR Congo.
Exhibition crossing at the Academy of Fine Arts of Kinshasa, DR Congo
Art and Environment Exhibition at Trust Mechand Bank TMB Bank, Kinshasa Exhibition Plural Dimension at Wallonia Center Brussels, Kinshasa, DR Congo
Open exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts of Kinshasa, DR Congo
Emergence 2 exhibition at the Pullman Grand Hotel in Kinshasa. Exhibition, Passion of art at Pullman Grand hotel of Kinshasa, DR Congo
Emergence exhibition at the Pullman Grand Hotel in Kinshasa, DR Congo
Jean Pigozzi, Contemporary African Art Collection (CAAC), Switzerland
Thierry Lemoine Private Collection, France
Moreau Family Private Collection, France
Private Collection of Michel Champregne, France
Private Collection of Wirth Hortana, Haiti
Mboh Elango Private Collection, USA
Private Collection of Staines Couple, USA
Private collection of Matthew Steuer, USA
Private collection of Elisabeth Bitliff, Ghana
Private Collection of Christopher the Younger, Belgium
Steve Vermer Private Collection, Belgium
Private collection of Jamil, Brazil
Piette Private Collection, Hong Kong
Private Collection by Rene Houton Miles, Hungary
Ginnette Private Collection, Canada
Gérard Lokossou Private Collection, Ivory Coast
Private Collection of Othnan, Ivory Coast
Private collection of Sina Hanke, DR Congo
Rawbank Private Collection, DR Congo
OpenArtExchange is an independent international art gallery that aims to stimulate and connect promising contemporary visual artists from non-Western countries (particularly Africa, South America and Asia) with the western world of arts and culture.
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