Kabeya Thonton

Artist Biography

(b. 1983, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo)

Thonton Kabeya captures the essence of African cosmopolitanism through his constructions of contemporary urban life using paint and canvas. Having travelled across the African continent extensively, Kabeya lived and worked as an artist in Paris, before settling in Johannesburg in 2014. Kabeya actively challenges his medium of paint and canvas, pursuing new and experimental ways to create texture, depth, and balance of colour. His process involves glueing layers of canvas together, which he then cuts, carves, and sculpts before painting. Kabeya finishes the work with transferred elements from newspapers, carefully positioned to indicate the folds of moving fabric, and the application of a deep brown walnut powder (an old method of staining wooden furniture) which renders skin, as well as balances the tonality of the work.

Inspired by architecture and design, Kabeya's practice seeks balance in composition, line, and colour in his three-dimensional work. He creates portraits of people and cities alike, bustling street scenes and tender exchanges between individuals. His recent works have focused on rhumba dancing, inspired by the dance studios and clubs frequented by the artist. Rumba music is of Cuban origin, and gained enormous popularity in the Congo during the 1960s and 70s. Dance is a much-loved form of expression, and is in many ways a performance of personhood.

The Congolese rumba was recently added to UNESCO's intangible heritage list as "The rumba is considered an essential and representative part of the identity of Congolese people and its diaspora. It is perceived as a means of conveying the social and cultural values of the region and of promoting intergenerational and social cohesion and solidarity." - UNESCO, 2021.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022 Everard Read, Pasada, Johannesburg, South Africa

Bonne Esperance Gallery, La Rumba Rosa 2 , Paris/France

2021 One Art Gallery, La Rumba Rosa, Johannesburg, South Africa

2019 Galerie Bilembo, Kinshasa, Congo

2018 ODA Gallery, Franschoek, South Africa

2017 ODA Gallery, Franschoek, South Africa

2015 Cry Smile Dream, S Art Gallery, Cape Town

2014 New Voices, Lizamore and Associates Gallery, Johannesburg

2010 Médiathèque Woluwe, st Pierre, Bruxelles, Belgium

Galerie dialogue, National Museum of Lubumbashi, Congo

2009 Metamorphose, Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, Maison de province de France

Metamorphose, Arte kalao galeria, Bilbao, Spain

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022 UCCLE / Bruxelles , Belgium

2021 Gallery 2, A Cloud, Johannesburg/SA

Bonne Esperance Gallery, Salon Globalisto, Paris/France.

Art voice Gallery, Work on Paper, Kala Lumpur/Malaysia

2017 The Gravity of Things, Artium Basque Museum Center of Contemporary Art of Vitoria-Gastei, Alava, Spain

2012 Institut Francais of Lubumbashi, Congo

2008 Vision for Africa, Archelle, Germany

Midi Libre, Mas de grille, Montpellier, France

Recontres Picha Biennale De Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi

Dakar Biennale, (Off Biennale), Gallery L. S. Senghor, Dakar

2007 Yambi, Museum of Modern Art and Contemporain Art (MAMAC) Liège, Belgium.

Burogest, Business Center, Namur, Belgium

French institute, Congo

2006 Memling Hotel, Kinshasa

Belgium Consulate, Congo

National Museum of Lubumbashi, Congo

2005 French institute of Lubumbashi

2008 Vision for Africa, Archelle, Germany

Midi Libre, Mas de grille, Montpellier, France

Recontres Picha Biennale De Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi

Dakar Biennale, (Off Biennale), Gallery L. S. Senghor, Dakar

2007 Yambi, Museum of Modern Art and Contemporain Art (MAMAC) Liège, Belgium.

Burogest, Business Center, Namur, Belgium

French institute, Congo

2006 Memling Hotel, Kinshasa

Belgium Consulate, Congo

RESIDENCIES

2014 Thupelo Workshop, Prince Albert

2013 Institut Francais of Lubumbashi, Workshop, Congo

2010 Galerie d’art contemporain Workshop, Musée de Lubumbashi, Congo

2009 Cité internationale universitaire de Paris, France

2008 Village des arts, Sénégal

2006 The fine art of Kinshasa Workshop, Centre Wallonie Bruxelles, Kinshasa

2003 Ecole de beaux arts, Workshop, Lubumbashi

COLLECTIONS

University of South Africa Art Collection, Pretoria

Artium Basque Museum Center of Contemporary Art of Vitoria-Gastei, Alava, Spain

George Forest Art Collection, Lubumbashi

Sanaa Art Collection, Johannesburg

Erick Vellard Art Collection, Paris

A w a r d s

2006 UNIADS Award

Belgium Council Award