BIOGRAPHY

Kito Mbiango is a Belgian-Congolese painter and mixed media artist who divides his time between Brussels and the United States. His work seeks to connect us to the core of what makes us human, by speaking to our primal intelligence. His practice is guided by the concept of anima mundi, or soul of the world. He finds inspiration searching for source materials such as vintage photographs, old books, maps and artefacts in markets. He takes great joy in unearthing treasures and concepts, weaving and breathing new life into them. Through storytelling he transforms these materials into paintings, mixed media works and digital collages reflecting the dance between humans and nature. Through his artwork, he integrates his mixed heritage to explore our human existence. The sensitivity of his work stems from Mbiango's diverse roots -- his father was from the Sakata tribe in Congo and rose to become a jurist and President of the Supreme Court of Congo, while his Flemish mother served as a nurse there. He was strongly influenced by his grandmother, a master in ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, which infused his world with Buddhist concepts of harmony in nature. They shared a passion for geology and collecting minerals together when he was a young man. This rich cultural exposure has led to a deep veneration for the land and indigenous wisdom.

Having spent time living and seeing life through the lens of three continents — Europe, Africa and America, helped him feel that we are all one. His works are universal tapestries weaving past, present and future. At its core, they are about remembering the threads which connect us to one another and to the soul of the world.

Mbiango was born in Brussels in 1966. He has mastered his own technique utilizing multiple production methods including image transfer and mixed media assemblage, applied meticulously by hand. He has received numerous prizes and awards for his work including most recently: 13th Pollux Prize 2019, Visual Art Open Competition 2019 and MvVO Ad Art Competition Finalist. He was awarded a fellowship for his Climate Change Collection by The Institute for the Future (Palo Alto, CA) and he has collaborated with both the private and public sectors in their global advocacy work, including BNP Parisbas, The World Bank’s Climate Investment Fund (CIF), The United Nations, The World Economic Forum, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Women Deliver, UNICEF, UN Women and The David Lynch Foundation. His work has been exhibited on the massive digital screens in the iconic Oculus in the World Trade Centre and on screens across New York City, as well as at Christie’s, New York/London. Various international media outlets including: The Financial Times, The Daily Mail, Art & Museum Magazine, Solutions Journal, Kosmos Journal for Global Transformation have featured his work. Mbiango’s art has been acquired by various corporate institutions, non-profit organizations and private collections.