Masekabay Zanga is Self-Taught Conceptual Artist based in county Kilkenny.
She is born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the CONGO from where, she left for France at young age. Once the Living Certificate passed, she decided to postpone her third level studies in Visual Arts and secured different jobs position, until she joined a team of Secretary/Assistant in the DRC Paris' Embassy, in the Chancellery department.
During that period, she met and linked with a diverse Pan-African activist who enlarged her vision and understanding on the Geopolitical, Social and Cultural dynamic in Africa, particularly in DRCONGO. She came in Ireland in 2006, where she lives with her Family . From 2009, she had opportunities to participate in the Open Circle Arts Community programs to explore her creativity, where she has connected with Women Artists from different backgrounds. Her Artworks so far have been an expressive space of the Feminine figures as colour landscapes’ complexity. She defines her work as Abstraction-Figurative Art. Mix Media allows her to explore texture and effects in her practices.
From 2011 her work has been presented to the public, with the association Congolese Women in Ireland’s campaign; ‘Stop the violence, Stop Rape as war weapon against Women’. this movement help to raise awareness on DRCongo East region silenced war. In February 2015, she received the support of Butler Gallery to introduce to Kilkenny Art Community, the Congolese Arts&Culture collective Karibu. She also participated for the first time at the Alternative Kilkenny Arts with a multidisciplinary Artists group gathered by Didi and Darlene Garr at Macdonough Junction. In 2016, she curated a show with Karibu and Friends to commemorate Sir Roger Casement for his engagement to denounce Leopold II on the Belgium’s atrocities system in the Congo, in the early 1900’s. The public saw her works in 2017, at the Macdonough junction unit, where she collaborated with Youth on their memory of Africa. They produced a mix media fresco. Also, she showed her paintings at the Billy Byrnes Pub in 2019. Since then, she is also, regularly showcasing her pieces in different African Women endeavour activities promoting economic, social networking. Recently, she exhibited her oeuvre with Hergenuity African Women Entrepreneur Award 2023, in Kilkenny. She is currently working on The Sacred of the Feminine Project´, in which she is exploring the feminine concept throughout Time.
Statement
As life circumstances strengthen the character in becoming, I would say that my Congolese French upbringing is the reference point of my trajectory. Growing up in the dynamic of a cosmopolitan city, my perception of the world around me has been constructed throughout the influence of those diverse cultures encountered. Some people became friends or background personages in my life, with a great impact during my teen age. In my young adult life, the excitement of living in the dynamic of Paris was a pivotal move. During this time, I met the Parisian contemporary Pan-African movement’s actors who introduced to me the social-politic dynamic life structure concepts. While living in Paris, I met and collaborate with Women from different background whom until today left great imprints on me. I faced their everyday survival systems, as I saw some women’s tribulations being the minority, in the sphere of power. Therefore, my Art works so far have been inspired and produced essentially around female figure status. The Abstractive Figurative style allows me to stay in this zone of chaos, where anything and everything can bring changes. My work is a tribune for the Feminine aspect that everyone and everything possess. I do believe that the processus of creation has a common space where two intentions come across of a similar energy concentration, to bring forward to existence all those magnificent phenomenon we can see in this World. My process of execution is dictated firstly by a clear vision of set of colour patterns. I have achieved a lot of paintings with acrylic medium for its versatility effects on different supports materials. Knowing that the essence of the acrylic medium can be related to one of life force of this planet, I expect that anybody interested in my visual expression to sense the metaphysical connection which binds each elements and individual of this Space. My function of Mother obliges me to express a sense of positivism in believing on the potential of everyone. Therefore, my palette is a vibrant tonality of bright colour to stimulate senses. Having people buying my pieces; their feedback is the joy. The interesting part is to know that people would decide how to customize a piece in their life setting, this questions on the outcome of those paintings that sometime appear being great inspiration, sometime considered as masterpiece. Once a Lady purchased my painting and she mentioned that she has the oeuvre upside down on the top of the fireplace, because this way energizes the room. I suppose this is the reason why I am convinced that my work is for those, who are intuitively attracted to them. In listening different audiences extrapolating on the potential meanings of those paintings comforts me because each explanation is the expression of my work's impact to the observer. My Art Works stimulate this intuitive connection to it questioningly.