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Steve Bandoma

Painter | DR Congo

Steve Bandoma is concerned about themes such as enculturation, identity, conflict between tradition and modernity and the materiality of the Western world. However, he addresses these topics through his works with humor, in an ironic way most of the times.

My work always seeks new ways to explore human nature, emotions, experiences, feelings, insights with a smile, in a way that lifts people out of their daily lives."

Portrait

Steve Bandoma was born in 1981 in Kinshasa. In 2004, he graduated from the Kinshasa Academy of Fine Arts and then opted to move to South Africa, where he gradually constructed his own style, raised his profile, began to exhibit regularly and finally managed to make a name for himself on the South African art scene. In 2009, Bandoma hit the road again, traveling to Paris to take up a residency at the Cité Nationale des Arts. In 2011, he exhibited his work at Art Basel, in Pointe Noire and London, and finally moved back to Kinshasa in 2012, where he showed his work at the Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles and at the French Institute.

Bandoma was part of the creators of Librisme Syngerie, an Avant-Gard collective that suggested a free and innovative approach to art. This is still present in most of his works. After trying many techniques, different art fields and materials, he has adopted a very personal technique, mostly consisting of paintings and collages on paper or sculptures made by recycled materials. He is driven by issues like politics, religion, the environment or racial differences, always expressed in a very chaotic and bizarre way in order to reflect the energy and violence of the present world, although the final product does usually result in a harmonious composition.

Bandoma considers himself ‘contemporary’ and ‘universal’, therefore, he is concerned about themes such as enculturation, identity, conflict between tradition and modernity and the materiality of the Western world. However, he addresses these topics through his works with humor, in an ironic way most of the times.

Several of Steve Bandoma’s artworks were exhibited at the Beauté Congo – Congo Kitoko exhibition at the Fondation Cartier (Paris). Bandoma’s work was recently exhibited at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium.

In 2024 Bandoma will be representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the Venice Biennale, alongside Aimé Mpane, Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga, Eddy Ekete, Jean Katambayi Mukendi, Cédric Sungo, Eléonore Hellio and Michel Ekeba of the collective Kongo Astronauts. The Congolese pavilion ‘LITHIUM’ is curated by Michele Gervasuti and James Putnam.

Steve Bandoma was born in 1981 in Kinshasa. In 2004, he graduated from the Kinshasa Academy of Fine Arts and then opted to move to South Africa, where he gradually constructed his own style, raised his profile, began to exhibit regularly and finally managed to make a name for himself in the South African art scene. In 2009, Bandoma hit the road again, traveling to Paris to take up a residency at the Cité Nationale des Arts. In 2011, he exhibited his work at Art Basel, in Pointe Noire and London, and finally moved back to Kinshasa in 2012, where he showed his work at the Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles and at the French Institute.

Bandoma was part of the creators of Librisme Syngerie, an Avant-Garde collective that suggested a free and innovative approach to art. This is still present in most of his works. After trying many techniques, different art fields and materials, he has adopted a very personal technique, mostly consisting of paintings and collages on paper or sculptures made by recycled materials. He is driven by issues like politics, religion, the environment or racial differences, always expressed in a very chaotic and bizarre way in order to reflect the energy and violence of the present world, although the final product does usually result in a harmonious composition.

Bandoma considers himself ‘contemporary’ and ‘universal’, therefore, he is concerned about themes such as enculturation, identity, conflict between tradition and modernity and the materiality of the Western world. However, he addresses these topics through his works with humor, in an ironic way most of the times.

Several of Steve Bandoma’s artworks were exhibited at the Beauté Congo – Congo Kitoko exhibition at the Fondation Cartier (Paris). Bandoma’s work was recently exhibited at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium.

In 2024 Bandoma will be representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the Venice Biennale, alongside Aimé Mpane, Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga, Eddy Ekete, Jean Katambayi Mukendi, Cédric Sungo, Eléonore Hellio and Michel Ekeba of the collective Kongo Astronauts. The Congolese pavilion ‘LITHIUM’ is curated by Michele Gervasuti and James Putnam.

Works

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Credentials

2022

  • Comme unique, Fondation BJKD, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
  • Life there, Donwahi Foundation, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
2021
  • Mercredy Arty, Yemaya Design, Pullman Hotel, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
2019
  • L’Innocence, galerie iLAB-Design, Genève, Switzerland
  • Regards croisés, duo solo with Kim Bennani at Terre Océane, Loft Art Galery & Yamed Promotion, Casablanca, Morocco
  • Disconnection, Galerie Art-z, Paris, France

2022

  • DAF Frankfurt, via OpenArtExchange, Frankfurt, Germany
  • Africa Now II, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
  • Soufle d’Afrique (Breath of Africa), So Art gallery, Casablance, Morocco
  • Africa – The renaissance on the move, Blaise Senghor Cultural center/Dak’Art OFF, OBART/ART Kelen/Jérémy Cauden, Dakar, Senegal
2021
  • Rio Loco art festival, Toulouse City hall, Toulouse, France
2020
  • African art acution, Bonham, London, United Kingdom
2019
  • GRAPA ed3, collective l’AKAFA, galerie Pascal Polar, Brussels, Belgium
  • African art auction Piasa, Paris, France
  • Group show III, Gallery ArtTime, Abidjan, Ivory Coast/online
  • Donkey Art Gallery, Tangier, Morocco
2018
  • Exhibition and auction Child soldiers, Hotel Drouot/Invisable Borders Foundation and Afikaris/Nelly Wandji Gallery, Paris, France
  • GRAPA ed2, collective l’AKAFA/Kevin Michel at galerie Ravenstein, Brussels, Belgium

2022

  • OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
2023
  • Project Grant, Grant for research and the development of new work in collaboration with CACAU (São Tôme, West-Africa), Fonds voor Cultuur Participatie, Utrecht, The Netherlands.


2018

  • The Willem Barentsz Award, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.


PROFESSIONAL COLLECTIONS
  • Jeremy Cauden, Ivory Coast
  • Mattia Starace, Belgium
  • LIMES Schlossklinik Art Collection, Germany