Conversation with Congolese visual artist and painter Benj Kinenga Mushila
Soft-spoken, chill demeanor, and introverted personality, characteristics that hide a very strong force of creative expression. Originally from the Republic of Congo, Benj Kinenga Mushila is a visual artist who regardless of his young age has developed, through consistent and disciplined work, a very mature and distinctive technique of painting. Using mainly oil painting and knives he basically places chunks of color one on top of the other to create impressionist like compositions rich with a very expressive texture, to me it looks like painting with pieces of melted candy that makes you want to touch and even rip off the pieces of color (unfortunately some people try).
The themes of his painting are usually attached to his African cultural roots, daily life scenes, the market, the walking, the working, and even the struggles. Because Benji is a person with a very grounded and pragmatic sense of pride and patriotism, he completely acknowledges the shortcomings of his culture, which gives him the drive to exalt also the richness and the beauty.
Having a conversation with Benji is an enriching experience, well read, educated and informed, Benji has the conversational style of the patient teacher who knows how to captivate your interest while filling your brain of interesting information, he admitted to me once that he learned this from his family who are educators.
Find more from Benji in the following links:
CREATIVITY ROOTS 
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