Cristiano Mangovo
Cristiano Mangovo grew up as a refugee in the Democratic Republic of Congo and spent most of his professional career in Angola's turbulent society. As a result, the Angolan phrase "Winkeba e Nkeba bu Nkaka" ("Protect yourselves and protect others too") has naturally become the central theme of his artwork. With a strong activist slant, his work often appeals to the need to protect weaker people from the stronger, calling for more balanced societies with improved human conditions for all.
Mangovo developed various styles and symbolisms over the years, but always with a distinct surrealist twist. His work has also been dominated by an expressionistic style, characterised by the deformed characters without a complete real-life form that dominates in his paintings and collages.
Mangovo holds a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Kinshasa (DRC), having additional urban scenography and performance training. He received early recognition for his work, earning his first solo show in 2013 by the Foundation of Art and Culture in Luanda, which toured Art BAI. In 2014, he was awarded the Mirella Antognoli Prize by the Italian Embassy and Alliance Française, as well as the prestigious Angolan ENSA Art Prize in 2018. Since then, he has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions worldwide. In 2017, his work was recognized in his home country with a solo retrospective exhibition and installation “Riches of Africa”.
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