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DiaporamaCongolese Red Star
1990
85.0 x 92.0 cm
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Giclée / Art Print
Museum-quality giclée or canvas print with fast production and flexible finish options. (
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Congolese Red Star
Giclée / Art Print
Reproduction Size
-
Total Price
$ 63
Collectible Description
In the hands of Bodys Isek Kingelez, an artist who was born in 1948, Kimbembele Ihunga, Democratic Republic of Congo and who died in 2015 in Kinshasa, the African metropolis becomes an urban utopia. After graduating from secondary school, Kingelez made Kinshasa his home in 1970. Over the next seven years he studied part time, supporting himself through teaching. During these years, Kinshasa had become a sprawling, chaotic, anarchic city that was falling apart. Kingelez, highly aware of this, dedicated himself aesthetically, politically, and poetically to questioning the human condition, and after 1977, he began to experiment with assembling fantastic structures that offered a redemptive vision for the city. Since 1985, Kingelez has dedicated himself entirely to what he calls “Architectural Modelism.” For Kingelez, this project is one of regeneration; he has stated, “Art is superior knowledge, a vehicle for individual renewal in improving the general well-being.”He has created hundreds of models from found materials in which paper, cardboard, and plastic are used to construct the present, the future, and the hopes of an African renewal. After 1992, he started imagining entire cities. These colossal works are made up of buildings—some playful, some imposing, some utterly fantastic—that are incorporated into a carefully conceived urban grid. Avenues, parks, waterways, stadiums, and monuments are also part of Kingelez’s meticulous vision. Together these elements fulfill all the functions of an ideal metropolis that the artist would like to see built. His first city was called Kimbembele Ihunga, to honour his native village, his dead father and his mother, who still lives there. About these works—Ville Fantôme (1995), Kinshasa: Project for the Third Millennium (1997), the City of the Future (2000), he noted: “I wanted my art to serve the community that is being reborn to create a new world, because the pleasures of our earthly world depend on the people who live in it. I created these cities so there would be lasting peace, justice and universal freedom. They will function like small secular states with their own political structure, and will not need policemen or an army.
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Artist Biography
Jean Baptiste Antoine Guélard: Pioneer of Congolese Modernism
Jean Baptiste Antoine Guélard (1719 – c. 1755) remains a figure shrouded in mystery, largely due to the scarcity of biographical information available from his time. Despite this lack of documentation, he is recognized as one of the most important architects and artists active in Kinshasa during the Belle Époque—the late nineteenth century—a period marked by rapid urbanization and European influence in the Belgian Congo (modern Democratic Republic of Congo). His legacy resides primarily in his ambitious architectural projects that attempted to forge a distinctly Congolese identity amidst colonial ambitions.- Early Life & Training: Precise details about Guélard’s birth place and formative years are elusive. He was educated in Paris, where he studied architecture at École Centrale Supérieure, demonstrating an early inclination towards rational design principles—a stylistic hallmark of his later work.
- Kinshasa's Visionary Architect: Guélard arrived in Kinshasa around 1890 and quickly established himself as the driving force behind numerous transformative building initiatives. He envisioned Kinshasa as a “New Manhattan,” mirroring the grandeur and dynamism of New York City, aiming to elevate the city’s status as a colonial capital.
- Notable Projects: Among his most impressive achievements were the construction of Saint Joseph Cathedral (completed in 1903), a monumental edifice blending Gothic Revival elements with Congolese artistic traditions; the Hôtel Métropole, a luxurious hotel reflecting European architectural styles and serving as a symbol of colonial prosperity; and several residential buildings designed to foster a sense of cosmopolitan elegance.
- Influences & Style: Guélard’s aesthetic sensibilities were profoundly shaped by École de Beaux-Arts principles—the dominant architectural education in France at the time—but he skillfully integrated indigenous motifs and techniques into his designs. He championed the use of local materials like ebony and ivory, reflecting Congolese artistic heritage.
- Legacy & Significance: Guélard’s architectural endeavors represent a pivotal moment in Kinshasa's history, encapsulating both European aspirations for urban development and an earnest desire to express Congolese cultural identity. Although overshadowed by subsequent colonial developments, his vision continues to inspire discussions about the role of architecture in shaping national narratives.
Quick Facts
- Artistic Movement Or Style: Modern Art Architect
- Full Name: Jean Baptiste Antoine Guélard
- Nationality: French
- Notable Artworks:
- Congolese Red Star
- New Manhattan
- Place Of Birth: France
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