Kongo & Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/CeetUrban Art Exhibition

Themed ONE LOVE, the exhibition will be showcasing the graffiti works of two artists, CEET & KONGO. Stems from its controversial and defiant or even somewhat anti-social nature of its content; Originates from the often colloquial semi-illegal art form and practice, graffiti has evolved from vandalism act on the street to an art form being showcased in exhibition halls. Art has a long history of being a form of civilization which was born out of distaste, but then shines upon humanity in some other time. Leonardo, Monet and Picasso have once been the outcasts of their time. CEET and KONGO are no different.Bonded by the love of art and growing up together, CEET and KONGO are among the originators of the French graffiti movement. The very essence of ONE LOVE is demonstrated by the shared values of their inseparable path. With CEET’s 3D representation of KONGO’s strong colors, the pieces would depict how LOVE can trans-form the criticism of illegality, incoherence, and nonstandard presentation to an unique form of art. They are also the embodiment of the personality and perspectives of the pair.And the narrative starts being told here, in Hong Kong.

Ceet & Kongo

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

Kongo is a paint brush.Kongo is a pen.Kongo is a spray can.Kongo is Cyril, a guy who could have ended as a North Vietnamese soldier after the fall of Saigon. Cyril is an unruly teenager who discovered life, celebration and the Hip Hop universe in Bakongo, one of the hottest area of Brazzaville.Graffiti gave to Cyril the surplus of fresh air that he needed to be free. Cyril during the day, Kongo at night. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, between rap and tags, always with a dripping marker in the hand.The end of the eighties is a period of passionate learning. Tag becomes graffiti. Technique and adrenaline are one. In 1989 Kongo stands out as a trademark. Mr Hyde won but in fact it was beauty which overcame. Kongo’s drawings end up on sad walls that he makes sexy, not only Kongo but also his friends from the MAC crew, Lazoo, Alex, Cee-T, Juan, Pwoz, Tilt, a group of graffiti painters who deserve the name of artists.Kongo is no more a vandal.The nineties were a period of constant evolution. If once Kongo hesitated to devote his life to painting because reason was telling him that he should get a « true » job, after meeting on a trip to New York the TATS crew, a Bronx legendary graffiti group, he knew for sure that his future had to be writing in bright letters on the walls all over the world. Kongo goes on a tour with Fat Joe, lives a true Hip Hop life.And then trip goes on, all over Europe. And Asia, Shenzhen,, GhanZhou, Beijing, Hong Kong. In this former British colony Kongo meets Eric who asks him to custom-ize his son’s cap. Communication between them gets through. A vibe. Eric is the head of the Hermes subsidiary in Hong Kong and Macau. « Hermes, something for all ladies ? » thinks Kongo at first. He gives a new look to the brand while signing the first Hermes »carre » with a graffiti, his own. « My life is made of meetings. To be now a painter as well as a designer is funny, these are jobs I didn’t expect to have. But that is pure pleasure » says Kongo as a sum up.Where will Kongo go ? What will Cyril become ? The world to be, whatever may happen, belongs to him. It will be full of colors, letters and shapes. « I have no roots, I picked up everything from the cultures I came across during my trips, during each of my lifes. And I will be carrying this baggage all my life ».Amen, Kongo man.

Every artist will tell you that with each final piece of artwork comes with a story; each piece with its own story, its own version of how life became. And it is with this knowl-edge that Ceet presents to you this collection of his pieces of art, all and each a portrayal of a fraction of a time in his life with their own happenings independent from one another. This is the world that Ceet created for himself and in turn nurtured and introduced into our world, making it possible for us to not just imagine his creative world but to take part in it, marvel in it and thus making it a part of our own creative world.World-renowned Graffiti artist, Ceet (pronounced “Cee-tee”), is originated from the art scene in Toulouse, a town in south of France. Born in Algeria on the border to Morocco, he has been seduced by transforming letters and colors from his early childhood years.All to create a new design, his own world, he has shared his vision of graffiti and design to shake up the way we think and look at design and graffiti.Ceet ‘s work appears in prestigious brands like Prada, Ecko Unlt, Adidas…He has opened up to new projects. Always in search of perfection, he is experimenting his talents with complex pieces. All mediums are approached, from murals, to canvas as well as creating his own street wear brand (El Camion). Traveling throughout the globe, Ceet is installing himself as a true talent.Murals have become the most important part of his production and the focal point of his talent.Since 2003, he’s been very active in China with divers exhibits, events and artistic performances. Advertising firms have also called on his talents. Whether it’s for com-missioned murals or an exhibit, Ceet stays busy on various continents.His style reflects his energetic personality and his Graff world. The approach is based on a play of colors and wild style lettering; you could define it as a mechanical yet sophisticated designing style.From his start with murals, Ceet has multiplied and created new outlets with his various talents, with one goal to create, produce and paint…Eager to share and let the public discover his world, he’s currently considered among the leaders of the French Graff movement.

Kongo

Ceet

ONE LOVE Kongo/Ceet

Text Priscillia Poon / Fiona Foxon / Olivier Cachin Photo credits Laurent Segretier / Morgan Foldi / Ben Allal Fouad / Robino

Print by CRYSTAL EDUCATION

Curator : Beryl Chan

CHOKOLI STRAWBERRYCopyright 2012www.chokolistrawberry.com

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