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.
Works
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Credentials
2024
- Guardienne du temple, 20 years anniversary solo, Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, Kinshasa, DR Congo
- Kongolité, Castang Art Project, Perpignan, France
2023
- Lobotomisation, ArtClub, Bonn, Germany
- Egrégore, Espace Texaf-Bilembo, Kinshasa, DR Congo
2022
- Open Studio, Exposition VIP pour trois jours, Texaf Bilembo, Kinshasa, DR Congo
2020
- Papier de Societé, Espace Texaf Bilembo, Kinshasa, DR Congo
- Camouflages, Sulger-Buel Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2017
- Présentation au siège des Carabinieri, Rome, Italy
- Possession, EspaceTexaf-Bilembo, Kinshasa, DR Congo
2015
- Swab Art Fair, solo show presented for the Gallery Angalia, Barcelona, Spain
2014
- Kin la bele, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2013
- Combat du siècle, Gallery Antonio Nardone, Brussels, Belgium
- Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- Mutatis Mutandis, Centre Culturel Français de Kinshasa, DR Congo
2012
- Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- L’heure des shocs, Wallonie Brussels International de Kinshasa, DR Congo
2011
- Centre Culturel Français, Pointe-Noire, DR Congo
2009
- Féminisme, Cité Internationale des Arts de Paris, France
- AVA Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2008
- Contempocalypse, Alliance Française du Cape Town, South Africa
2025
- Mwana Congo, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
2024
- ReThinking Collections, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
- DRC-Contempo, Musée National, Kinshasa, DR Congo
2023
- Down to Earth, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
- CONGO/Passé composé, Angalia galerie, Paris, France
2022
- MAG, 18ieme Salon D’Art Contemporain, Montreux Music and Convention Center, Switserland
- ITJT Présentation Deck et Exposition, L’impact historique crée par la Belgique en DR Congo, United States
2021
- Africa reborn, Quai Branly Museum, Paris, France
- Papiers de Societé, Espace Texaf Bilembo, Kinshasa, DR Congo
2020
- Discovery Art Fair, represented by OpenArtExchange, Frankfurt, Germany
- The Fight of the Century, Kloser art Gallery, Kalmthout, Belgium
2019
- Luxembourg Art Fair, Luxembourg, represented by OpenArtExchange
- ST-ART, Strasbourg, France, represented by OpenArtExchange
- New World, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
- Na Kinshasa Eza Possible, Galerie MAGNIN-A, Paris, France
- Généalogies Futures, Biennale de Lubumbashi, DR Congo
- Megalapolis – Stimmen aus Kinshasa, Grassi Muséum, Leipzig, Germany
2018
- African passions, Palais Cadaval via Galerie Magnin-A, Evora, Portugal
2017
- 1-54, Contemporary African Art Fair via Galerie Magnin-A, London, United Kingdom
- Art Paris via Galerie Magnin-A, Paris, France
- Salon Zürcher Africa, Galerie Zürcher, Angalia, Paris, France
- Lumières d’Afriques, Palais des Nations, Genève, Switzerland
2016
- AKAA Paris, African contemporary art fair via Galerie Angalia, Carreau du Temple, Paris, France
- 1-54, Contemporary African Art Fair via Galerie Magnin-A, London, United Kingdom
- Demain Kinshasa, Journées Utopiques, Programme Culturel Franco Alemand, Institut Français, Kinshasa, DR Congo
- African Artists Enlightenment, African Artists for Development (AAD), Abidjan, Ivory Coast
2015
- African Artists Enlightenment, African Artists for Development (AAD), Paris
- Towards Intersection, Kauru Contemporary Art from Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- African Imagined, Sandtown Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Beauté Congo-Congo Kitoko, Foundation Cartier, Paris, France
- Ostrale ‘015, 9th International Exhibition Contemporary of Art, Germany
- 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Jack Bell Gallery, Somerset House, London, United Kingdom
- 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Jack Bell Gallery, New York, United States
- Congo across the water, New Orleans Museum of Art, United States
2014
- Congo across the water, Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey, United States
- Congo across the water, Musée Royal del’ Afrique Central, Tervuren, Belgium
2013
- Paris Art Fair, Magnin-A, France
- Galerie Antonio Nardone, OFF Art Fair, Brussels, Belgium
- London Art Fair, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- Congo across the water, Le Musée Samuel P. Méfaits, Florida, United States
- Congo across the water, University Press of Florida, United States
- Maendeleo, Centre Walon d’Art Contemporain, Chantainairaie, Belgium
- Lubumbashi Inakaribisha Kinshasa, Dialogues ASBL, Lubumbashi, DR Congo
2012
- Les Fanthomes à Jack Cloche Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- The Menippean uprising, Blank project gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2011
- Focus11, Contemporary African Art, Salon d’Art Basel, Switzerland
- Frech, Everard Read Galery, Cape Town, South Africa
- Deux mille dix raisons de vivre dans une petite ville, Ghothe on Main, Johannesburg, South Africa
2023
- OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
2019
- OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
- Généalogie futures, Pisha, Biennal of Lubumbashi
2012
- Mutatismutandis, Institut Français, Kinshasa, DR Congo
2011
- Foundation Nirox, with Geofrey Hendrick and Lorenzo Fusi, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Institut Français de Pointe-noire, DR Congo
2009
- Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France
- Main d’oeuvres, Esapce for Creation and Citizen, Paris, France
- Businessman, Infecting the City Festival, Africa Centre, Cape Town, South Africa
- F+F École des Arts, Pro Helvetia (Swiss Visa for the Culture) Zürich, Switzerland
2008
- Greatmore Studios, Cape Town, South Africa
- Les restitutions vues par les artistes, Beaux Arts Magazine, February 2021, p. 38-39. (YouTube video discussion)
- Papiers de Societé, vol. 3. Collection of artists of the 21st century/RDC, Kinshasa, RDC. Exhibition Catalogue
- Possessions, Kinshasa, RDC. Exhibition Catalogue
- Congo across the water, Musée Royal de l’Afrique centrale, Tervuren, Belgium. Exhibition Catalogue
- Congo across the water, Musée Samuel P.Méfaits, Floride. Exhibition Catalogue
- Congo across the water, University press of Florida, United States. Exhibition Catalogue
- 3rd Edition Journal SAVVY for the texts critiques about the Contemporary African Art Magazine
- L’heure de chocs, Walonie Brussels International. Exhibition Catalogue
- L’Espace, monnaie in the Contemporary African Art. Coffee table book
- POP. Coffee table book
- Intervention, UNISA Art Gallery. Exhibition Catalogue
Steve Bandoma is the recipient of several prizes and residency grants (nominee Prix de la cité Strasbourg at ST-ART Strasbourg (10 best artists), Pro Helvetia, Zurich; visa pour la creation, Cultures France; Art Buzz Book 2009 Collection, USA).
He has also been a teacher in South Africa, member of various artistic projects (Visual Art Network in South Africa, African Art Institute) and co-curator of the Amani Art Festival in Cape Town.
2025
- Mwana Congo, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
2023
- Down to Earth, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands
2019
- New World, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam), Netherlands