Cristiano Mangovo Angola, b. 1982
Cristiano Mangovo (b. 1982, Cabinda, Angola) mostly lives and works between Luanda (Angola) and Lisbon (Portugal). The artist has earned his Degree in Fine Art from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Kinshasa (DRC), having additional urban scenography and performance training.
Mangovo grew up as a minor refugee in DR Congo and spent most of his professional career in the turbulent Angolan society. As a result, the Angolan phrase “Winkeba and Nkeba bu Nkaka” (“Protect yourselves and protect others too”) naturally became the central theme of his artistic work. Mangovo’s paintings, sculptures, installations, and performances are inspired by daily urban life and often appeal to the need to protect weaker people from the stronger, calling for more balanced societies with improved human conditions for all. Mangovo has developed various styles and symbolism in his paintings and collages over the years, but always with a distinct surrealist twist. In more recent years, his work has been dominated by an expressionistic style, painting deformed characters with multi-faceted faces, two mouths, sometimes multiple open eyes without a complete real-life form. Instead, he shows their personalities, movement, and guiding ideas through shadows projected in the back. On the one hand, his deformed characters evidence their needs and defects. But, on the other hand, their double mouths - symbolizing their freedom to speak up – and their open eyes - indicating their openness and alertness to see and the ability to guide themselves by their ideas – represent an optimistic hope that they can overcome their challenges.
Mangovo received early recognition for his work, earning his first solo exhibition in 2013 by the Foundation Art and Culture in Luanda, which toured to Art BAI. In 2014, he was awarded the Mirella Antognoli Prize by the Italian Embassy and Alliance Française, as well as the prestigious Angolan ENSA Art prize (2018). Since then, he has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions worldwide. Meanwhile, in his home country, he has been recognized with, amongst others, a solo retrospective exhibition and installation “Riches of Africa” (Luanda, May 2017) .
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BEYOND BOUNDARIES
GROUP SHOW: Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, Luís Damião, Nelo Teixeira, Rómulo Santa Rita, Uólofe Griot and Samuel Nnorom 25 October 2023 - 9 February 2024We are pleased to present the group exhibition 'Beyond Boundaries'. With works by Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, Luís Damião, Nelo Teixeira, Rómulo Santa Rita, Uólofe Griot and Samuel Nnorom, the...Read more -
RESCUE OP
Group Show: Ana Silva, Bento Oliveira, Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, Micaela Fikoff and Nelo Teixeira 5 May - 24 June 2023Rescue Op, c urated by Katherine Sirois, is an initiative of P28 - Association for Creative and Artistic Development, in partnership with Carpe Diem Art and Research Association, and presents...Read more -
Reflect #2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES
GROUP SHOW: THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART, BELGRADE (SERBIA) 13 April - 31 August 2022The exhibition 'Reflect#2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES,' held at the Museum of African Art in Belgrade (Serbia) in collaboration with THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE Art Gallery, contains carefully...Read more -
SPACES IN BETWEEN
Group Show: Old Palace 17 - 28 May 2019Installed in a palace in 'ruins' in downtown Lisbon, the exhibition aims to reinforce the participation of THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE at ARCO Lisboa 2019, whose focus will...Read more
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1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR MARRAKECH 2024
Group Show: Cássio Markowski, Cristiano Mangovo, Samuel Nnorom 8 - 11 February 2024THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE is delighted to announce its return to the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair Marrakech set to take place from...Read more -
1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR LONDON 2022
Group Show: Cristiano Mangovo, Francisco Vidal, René Tavares, Stephané E. Conradie, Patrick Bongoy 13 - 16 October 2022We are delighted to return to London for the 10th edition of the fair at Somerset House between 13 – 16 October 2022. This year’s...Read more -
ARCO Lisboa 2022
Group Show: Cristiano Mangovo, Dagmar van weeghel, Francisco Vidal, Patrick Bongoy, René Tavares, and Stephané E. Conradie 19 - 22 May 2022Through this project, the gallery aims to generate a dialogue between countries with colonial and historic affinities which reflects on the concept of decoloniality and...Read more -
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair London 2021
Group Show: CRISTIANO MANGOVO, STEPHANE E. CONRADIE, PATRICK BONGOY, and RENÉ TAVARES 14 - 17 October 2021We are delighted to return to London for the 9th edition of the fair at Somerset House 14 – 17 October 2021! This edition will...Read more
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1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2021
RENÉ TAVARES and CRISTIANO MANGOVO 20 - 23 January 2021THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE art gallery participates at 1-54 Paris at Christie's with a project by RENÉ TAVARES and CRISTIANO MANGOVO . The...Read more -
ARCO Lisboa 2019
Group Show: Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, and Patrick Bongoy 16 - 19 May 2019 -
Cape Town Art Fair 2019
Group Show: Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, and Nelo Teixeira 15 - 17 February 2019 -
ARTISSIMA 2018
Group Show: Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, and Pedro Pires 2 - 4 November 2018
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Artists challenged to think about the city
Karinne Manita, Vanguarda, Hype, 22 June 2018 -
1-54 Art Fair Celebrates 10th London Edition
TSA Contemporary Art Magazine, 9 October 2022 -
A arte africana está na moda e chegou à ARCOlisboa
Isabel Salema, Público, 16 May 2019 -
Com mais galerias africanas, ArcoLisboa procura transcender o espaço da lusofonia
Isabel Salema, Público, 19 May 2022 -
Francisco Vidal | 1-54 Art Fair London: Six Favourite Exhibits
Lee Sharrock, ARTLYST, 16 October 2022 -
I see 2020 as an intrinsic year for the arts
DOMINGOS AMARO , Jornal Mercado, 17 December 2019 -
Interview with Cristiano Mangovo
MIRENE DA CRUZ, JORNAL EXPANSÃO, 3 February 2021 -
Investec Cape Town Art Fair'19: This is Not a White Cube
ART AFRICA, 13 April 2019 -
LUUANDA AOS OLHOS DE HOJE
NILZA RODRIGUES, JORNAL MERCADO, 29 September 2017 -
REFLECT #2: FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES
por VÁRIOS, Buala, 13 April 2022 -
REFLECT #2: FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES The Museum of African Art, Belgrade
Ana Knezevic & Emilia Epstajn, ICOM National Committee Magazine, 15 September 2022 -
TINAWC PRESENTS GROUP EXHIBITION "SPACES IN BETWEEN"
e-cultura, 5 May 2019
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BEYOND BOUNDARIES
VIDEO OF THE GROUP SHOW BY CRISTIANO MANGOVO, GONÇALO MABUNDA, LUÍS DAMIÃO, NELO TEIXEIRA, RÓMULO SANTA RITA, UÓLOFE GRIOT AND SAMUEL NNOROM 23 January 2024 -
Art can help to overcome the post-colonial Portugal-Africa stigmas
Interview with Graça Rodrigues and João Paulo Sacadura 6 June 2022Interview with Graça Rodrigues, conducted by journalist João Paulo Sacadura for the Portuguese radio station 'Observador' - podcast 'Convidado Extra.' Graça Rodrigues is co-artistic director...Read more
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1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR LONDON 2022
Group Show: Cristiano Mangovo, Francisco Vidal, René Tavares, Stephané E. Conradie, Patrick Bongoy 13 - 16 October 2022We are delighted to return to London for the 10th edition of the fair at Somerset House between 13 – 16 October 2022. This year’s...Read more -
ARCO Lisboa 2022
Group Show: Cristiano Mangovo, Dagmar van weeghel, Francisco Vidal, Patrick Bongoy, René Tavares, and Stephané E. Conradie 19 - 22 May 2022Through this project, the gallery aims to generate a dialogue between countries with colonial and historic affinities which reflects on the concept of decoloniality and...Read more -
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair London 2021
Group Show: CRISTIANO MANGOVO, STEPHANE E. CONRADIE, PATRICK BONGOY, and RENÉ TAVARES 14 - 17 October 2021We are delighted to return to London for the 9th edition of the fair at Somerset House 14 – 17 October 2021! This edition will...Read more