Jean-Claude LOFENIA (Kinshasa (DRC), 1984, lives and works in Indianapolis (USA)) African Mother Acrylic on canvas. 82 x 76 cm. Signed and dated 2023 lower right. Slight losses lower right. Jean-Claude Lofenia comes from a family with no artistic tradition and began drawing at the age of eight, first as a game, then by creating sketches and comic strips. He trained in Chéri Chérin's studio, where he developed his talent and technique. His style links traditional Congolese folk art with a contemporary spirit. Lofenia describes himself as an "embodiment of the future", seeking to anticipate and convey messages of hope through vivid colours and dynamic forms. He is now a major figure on the contemporary Congolese art scene, and exhibits in Africa, Europe and the United States.