Freddy Tsimba

About

“Tsimba’s sculptures are a mute but powerful testimony to the destruction and corruption of armed conflict, not just in Africa but throughout the world.” Eric Turner, Curator, Department of sculpture V&A

From 19 April, Beaux Arts London is proud to present Out of Chaos, an exhibition of the Congolese artist, Freddy Tsimba, showcasing his modern, powerful and thought-provoking sculptures that expose the tragedies of war and bring life out of death.

Sculpteur de la vie*, Tsimba was born in the capital of Congo, Kinshasa on August 22nd 1967. He won a place to study at the prestigious Beaux-Arts de Kinshasa. 

“My real school, even though I studied at the Beaux-Arts de Kinshasa, is in the streets where I lose myself entirely” said Tsimba, “my teachers were the blacksmiths who taught me the art of fire and welding”

Tsimba works with an array of materials found from his home in the Democratic Republic of Congo. These are namely objects of war and include bullet casings, bottle-tops, spoons, keys and even machetes. 

This is the first time that Beaux Arts London have shown an African artist and it comes at a time in which Africa’s contemporary art scene is flourishing. Freddy Tsimba is at the forefront of emerging Congolese artists who are using their influential creations to bring light to Africa’s political challenges.