Monsengwo Kejwamfi "Moke"

Private Collection, Kinshasa (acquired from the artist in 1990)
Thence by descent

There are very minor surface marks including one brown mark to the upper left quadrant. Examination under UV shows no evidence of retouch or repair. Overall, the work appears to be in very good condition.
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Market Scene is a painting by Congolese artist 'Moké' in the last decade of his life. Moké was known for his images of city life, and often called a 'painter reporter'. In this work, Market Scene depicts a busy market setting with women engaged in the buying and selling of food. This painting is an illustration of the everyday market exchange in Kinshasa, within the context of its local and international socio-economics.

Stylistically, Moké was first inspired by the techniques used by billboard commercial artists on the avenues of Kasa Vubu and Bolobo. These artists incorporated bold lines and bright colours to create cartoon-like advertisements. As evident in this painting and several other works, sexuality is a consistent theme in the works of Moké, who depicts the women with voluptuous, exaggerated curved figures.

Moké is recognized as one of the leading artists of this self-taught popular painters that emerged during the 1960s. Thematically, Moké portrayed the cheerful, animated scenes of Kinshasa, and avoided depicting social anguish or conflict. His first surge in popularity as an artist occurred in response to his 1965 painting of General Mobutu leading an Independence Day parade.