starsFeatured Artist
Discovered June 2026
This artist has recently entered the NUA-ARTE curated network after a rigorous review in Dakar.
KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Mayonga
Kingila
Before the words of his story, there are the eyes. In the painting shared with NUA-ARTE, Mayonga Kingila’s figures look directly toward the viewer. Their large circular eyes meet us across overlapping fields of pink, yellow, blue and green. The encounter is immediate; its meaning stays open. Kingila’s love of art began early. According to the account Nilton Viana shared with NUA-ARTE, he was recruited as a child to fight in a civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He later deserted and fled with his family to Angola in the 1990s. Knowing this history changes the context in which we meet the artist. It also leaves room for questions only he can answer. His paintings deserve the freedom to be encountered for their color, expression and imaginative presence, alongside the life he chooses to share. In this work, several faces occupy the same space while retaining different expressions. A viewer may feel recognized by their gaze, unsettled by it or drawn closer. What stays is the exchange itself: a painting looking back.
Featured work: Featured Work
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
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The Narrative
Before the words of his story, there are the eyes. In the painting shared with NUA-ARTE, Mayonga Kingila’s figures look directly toward the viewer. Their large circular eyes meet us across overlapping fields of pink, yellow, blue and green. The encounter is immediate; its meaning stays open. Kingila’s love of art began early. According to the account Nilton Viana shared with NUA-ARTE, he was recruited as a child to fight in a civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He later deserted and fled with his family to Angola in the 1990s. Knowing this history changes the context in which we meet the artist. It also leaves room for questions only he can answer. His paintings deserve the freedom to be encountered for their color, expression and imaginative presence, alongside the life he chooses to share. In this work, several faces occupy the same space while retaining different expressions. A viewer may feel recognized by their gaze, unsettled by it or drawn closer. What stays is the exchange itself: a painting looking back.
This artist profile is sourced from Sanity and will expand as more studio notes are added.
CURATED COLLECTION
Available Works
PROVENANCE
Previously Collected
Highly sought after: 0 works placed in the archive
