Cyril Kongo's generous calligraphic abstraction

Marked by his experiences and his vision of life, Cyril Kongo's graphic vocabulary explodes in a generous, colorful, lively abstraction, combined with a committed message.

Cyril Kongo works in every medium at his disposal, as much to express his most intimate reflections as to highlight the cultural riches of ancestral craft techniques through his own know-how. A tireless worker, curious and passionate, the artist aims for excellence. A singular and remarkable approach that involves "impeccable finishing in the execution of the works, combined with the choice of materials and partners, with the aim of always achieving a work of precision that is as powerful visually as it is semantically". A
calligraphic abstraction with a fluid, spontaneous line, combined with a clear, committed message for works full of abundance and virtuosity.

Where does your passion for lettering come from?

Lettering is the basis of my graphic vocabulary, that of graffiti. In search of recognition, I started graffiti in the 80s, first by writing my name in the street, then by drawing the letters and, finally, by drawing with letters. I love calligraphy, letters, words, sentences, stories...

Is this what you convey in your work?

By drawing with letters, I bring them to life. And if the work is often abstract at first glance, when you look at it, you can read my feelings, my emotions... Each one speaks of my joys, my sorrows, of light, peace, love..., each one translates my intentions of the moment. The letters I trace and combine form a statement. Not only does each letter have a meaning in itself, but together they form an image that tells a story.
You were part of the first generation of Parisian graffiti artists. Is it an achievement to be recognized internationally?

When I started out, graffiti already had an international
international aura, albeit confined to a certain microcosm. Graffiti is a universal language. This graphic and global culture has enabled me to travel a lot, especially to paint with artists who don't speak my language. I'm a curious person, I like meeting people and sharing. For me, life isn't a one-way street: you have to give in order to receive. It's these journeys and encounters that have put me on the map.

Is this recognition due to your collaborations with prestigious Houses, or is it your reputation that convinced them to call on your talent?

Each collaboration was born of beautiful encounters, not with brands, especially luxury brands, but rather with worlds and know-how. All the people I worked with were totally passionate about their universe. In Hong Kong, the director of the Hermès subsidiary in Asia once gave me carte blanche to paint a window in the airport. The artistic direction of the parent company in Paris was won over by the idea, and asked me to create a silk Carré with total freedom... perhaps because I'm authentic and sincere in my intentions? This Carré, which met with a commercial success that the Maison Hermès never expected, I didn't make with this objective in mind, but only because I met people who aim for excellence, who took me into the world of silk and colorists, and trusted me to translate my
vocabulary. Similarly, Richard Mille and I shared the vision of a never-before-realized work, a haute complication watch painted from the inside out. It was a challenge that I took up, and which the watchmaker transformed in commercial and communication terms. For my part, I have neither the power nor the will to do this part of the job. My only interest is to take up a challenge, immerse myself in it and succeed... or not.

Are you totally free in these creations?

Yes, it's an encounter between my graphic writing and the world of a House. It's up to me to interpret this universe with my own language. When faced with technical problems, as in watchmaking, it's up to me to get in touch with the people who have the necessary know-how. Together, we find solutions. With them, I'm pushed, pushed out of my comfort zone, and that's what's so great, so enjoyable, with the question always hanging in the air: can I do it? As you can see, I love a challenge.

A permanent search, so to speak...

I never stop because, beyond the houses, the visible part of the icerberg, I also work with people who are recognized in their microcosm but unknown to the general public, such as Véronique Kanengieser, a porcelain painting teacher with a real passion and know-how. She invited me to Limoges to meet ceramists, and welcomed me into her studio where, together, we produced a series of plates.

Does this ongoing research take up a lot of your time?

I spend my life in the workshop! Because to aim for excellence, you have to take the time and surround yourself with the right people for each project, those with whom you can talk and share. But before you can make such encounters, you have to master your art yourself. Especially as I can't live by meetings alone. So to progress, I also have to concentrate on my discipline. I love to learn, I'm curious, I'm greedy, I want to taste everything...

As a committed artist, you have fought to take graffiti off the streets and make it an art form in its own right. Do you think you've succeeded?

I believe that. I helped set up Kosmopolite, the first international graffiti festival in France, to explain to the media that we weren't vandals but artists. And we moved from the news pages to the cultural pages. We opened doors, aroused the interest of collectors, galleries... Today, I exhibit on the roof of the Grande Arche.

Yet Urban Art is not yet in museums, nor in major institutions... It will be... even if we don't all get into museums.

With this exhibition, I'm unveiling a journey, a vision and, through it, a part of the history of Graffiti. I'm also proving that I'm capable of staging a museum exhibition. There are very many of us who can do this
and I'm convinced that one day we'll be recognized like the Impressionists were. In fact, I have the feeling that our work is very similar to theirs, whether in terms of outdoor painting, mass production, being demonized... or even success during their lifetime. Life is a cycle, and so is art. Graffiti and street art are the direct descendants of the Impressionists.

You've created Colorful Kids workshops for children. Is transmission essential to you?

It's obviously essential. Once again, if you want to receive, you have to give. I've been lucky enough to meet people who have inspired me, and I want in turn, through graffiti, to interest younger people in culture in general. If, out of ten kids, just one has the spark, the click, and drops all those screens that divert children's imagination, and becomes an artist, a museum director, a curator, a writer... I'll be satisfied. It's important for me to inspire the younger ones to find their voice and see, through my experience, that the strength is within them.