Freddy Tsimba
Sculptor | DR Congo
Freddy Tsimba (1967) is a sculptor and multidisciplinary artist known for creating powerful works that go beyond traditional art forms. Using discarded materials like bullet casings, metal fragments, and everyday objects, Tsimba’s art explores resilience, memory, and the impacts of human conflict. His sculptures address themes of life, death, and hope, turning objects of destruction into symbols of renewal and humanity’s strength to rebuild.
Portrait
Pascal Konan, (1979, Abidjan) is a distinguished painter whose artistic journey began in his early years. Recognizing his innate talent, Konan pursued formal education in the arts at the Lycée d’Enseignement Artistique, progressing to earn his artistic baccalaureate. His academic excellence continued at the National School of Fine Arts in Abidjan, where he graduated at the top of his class with a higher diploma (D.E.S.A.) with honors.
Konan chose to blend his passion for art with a commitment to education, becoming a professor of painting at the Beaux-Arts in Abidjan. His artistic oeuvre is deeply rooted in the vibrant and dynamic scenes of daily African life. Utilizing a unique technique that involves random spots transformed into superimposed shapes and contours, his work possesses a psychedelic quality while maintaining a structured composition. Through his paintings, Konan captures the essence of African urban life, reflecting the emotions stirred by the bustling cities—the crowds, the noises, the cultural amalgamation, and the warmth.
As a figurative painter, Pascal Konan's works often delve into the discourse on "happiness and the human condition."
His canvases, rich in shapes, colors, and expressive depth, utilize mixed techniques such as scraping, water painting, and oil painting. This diverse approach allows him to animate his backgrounds and characters with contrasting light and shadow, capturing the essence of forms and beings.
In an era marked by increasing social divides and the degradation of the human condition, Konan's art serves as a powerful advocate for individual action towards realizing humanism. Through his paintings, he not only celebrates a joyful childhood amidst the urban struggles of Abidjan but also calls for a more humane and compassionate world.
Freddy Tsimba (1967) is a renowned sculptor whose artistic practice bridges tradition and innovation. Growing up in a lineage of master smiths dating back to the age of copper, Tsimba was drawn to the transformative power of metal from an early age. He studied monumental sculpture at the Académie des Beaux-Arts de Kinshasa, graduating in 1989. He later refined his skills through years of training with master founders in Kinshasa, Kongo Central, and Bandundu.
Tsimba’s art, steeped in the ancestral legacy of his craft, reimagines discarded materials—bullet casings, machetes, and scrap metal—into sculptures that confront the complexities of human existence. His works reflect a deep concern for the fragility and resilience of life, exploring themes of war, oppression, and the enduring strength of women.
Tsimba highlights human rights issues, particularly those affecting mothers and children, by transforming instruments of violence into symbols of hope, reflecting the tragic history and resilience of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
His work critiques systems of control, such as religion and neocolonial exploitation, while honoring those who are often overlooked and oppressed.
Internationally recognized, Tsimba has exhibited widely, including at the Biennale de Dakar and major group exhibitions in the USA, France, Belgium and more.
Works (coming soon)
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