Cheik Ndoluvualu, called Cheik Ledy (1962–1997), was a Congolese artist. He was born in Kinto M’Vuila,

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

Life and career

Cheik Ledy was apprenticed to his elder brother, sign painter

Chéri Samba Chéri Samba or Samba wa Mbimba N’zingo Nuni Masi Ndo Mbasi (born 30 December 1956) is a Congolese painter from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is one of the best known contemporary African artists, with his works being included in the col ...

, after leaving school in 1977, and worked as Samba's assistant for 10 years in his

Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...

studio. Like Samba, Ledy’s paintings comment on social and political issues of his day. His more controversial work included sign paintings on condom use and labour. He died of

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

-related complications in 1997 in Kinshasa.

Style and themes

Ledy's paintings often depict caricatures using bright colors. He worked in the style of sign painting and used French and

Lingala Lingala (or Ngala, Lingala: ) is a Bantu languages, Bantu language spoken in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the northern half of the Republic of the Congo, in their capitals, Kinshasa and Brazzaville, and to a lesser de ...

texts. Notable works include "Non comprendre" (I Do Not Understand) (1995), "Arrosage" (Watering) (1995), "Absence de morale" (Moral Absence) (1990).

Exhibitions

* JAPANCONGO * Garage Center of Contemporary Culture, Moscow, Russia * Musée International de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge * MAMCO- Musée d’art modern et contemporain, Geneva, Switzerland *

Contemporary African Art Collection The Contemporary African Art Collection (CAAC) is a private collection created in 1989 by Jean Pigozzi, an Italian businessman, after his encounter with French independent curator, André Magnin. Magnin specializes in art from non-Western culture ...

- 1990,

Jean Pigozzi Jean "Johnny" Pigozzi (born 1952), heir to the CEO of the automobile brand Simca, is an art collector, photographer and fashion designer. He lives in Geneva. Biography Pigozzi is a "French-born Italian". He was born in Paris in 1952 and is th ...

Bibliography

*Jean-Pierre Ibio
"Ledy, Cheik"
Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 7 November 2014. Pigozzi, Jean.
The Contemporary African Art Collection

“African Art Now: Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection”

6 November 2014.
"Ledy, Cheik (born 1962), painter"
Oxford Art Online.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledy, Cheik 1962 births 1997 deaths Democratic Republic of the Congo painters Deaths from AIDS-related illness