Black Sauvage
Lio-Bravo Bumbakini

Le Black Sauvage: is a solo exhibition by Brooklyn based artist Lio-Bravo Bumbakini that delves into the intricacies of culture, individuality, and the interconnectedness of humanity.

Inspired by his own roots across three continents as a Diasporic African, Bumbakini presents an exploration of the diverse manifestations of identity. Le Black Sauvage: challenges the notion that culture is a monolithic entity. Instead, it celebrates the richness of diversity in blackness that arises from parallel histories, ethnicities, and geographic regions.

A prominent portion of the Black Sauvage exhibition will be the presentation of Bumbakini’s “Black Seeds Series: ” which invites visitors to celebrate individuality and embrace the ever-evolving nature of self-discovery. It urges us to cherish the beauty that emerges when we allow identities to flourish authentically, unrestrained by societal classifications – a garden is just that, a garden, an ecosystem of differences and anomalies thriving as one. Using the same brush, charcoal stick, and three colors, the artist creates Black Seeds as a symbol of shared experiences and backgrounds. These seeds, however, transform into an array of vibrant florals, representing the myriad of possibilities for self-expression and uniqueness.

This exhibit serves as a reminder that identities cannot be neatly confined within boxes or categories. Instead, they bloom in unique and extraordinary ways, contributing to the rich tapestry of the human experience.

About the Artist

Lio-Bravo Bumbakini is an artist who envisions the modern western experience in swaths of folkloric imagery inspired by his Congolese heritage, Belgian upbringing, and the two decades he’s now spent across the USA, in diaspora. His work often combines the abstraction of vibrant colors, the use of symbols & archetypes, and the blend of traditional African motifs with contemporary western ideas. Ranging from small works to large-scale murals – Lio’s mixed media approach spans the realms of painting, illustration, photography, decoupage, and film. Lio believes that art is the bridge that connects us all to our collective innermost self.

For more information on Lio visit his website and follow him on Instagram.