L'ANNÉE DU CHAT
125cm x 125cm - Mixed media on French linen
Since the painting "Tan Suu" and "Nham Dan", Cyril Kongo has continued his line of work with a unique graffiti which is mascot of the Year of the Cat (Quy Mao) 2023.
For thousands of years, Vietnamese people have had a saying: "First word, second picture, third earthenware, fourth wood". Indeed, "chơi tranh" (buying Tet paintings) has long been a unique cultural feature or elegant hobby of Vietnamese people. Along with peach branches, kumquat trees, folk paintings on Tet holiday are things chosen by many Vietnamese families. It has many layers of meaning, which each generation aspires to preserve. People often go to buy paintings with the hope of bringing good luck home. Taking down old paintings and hanging new ones has implied the desire of "Tong Cuu, Nghinh Tan" (goodbye old things, welcome new things).
Although Cyril Kongo was an artist pursuing and flourishing from street arts, he loves learning the similarities in the beauty of Vietnamese Tet painting and Graffiti. This is the inspiration for him to compose a Spring painting every year or the traditional mascot from a contemporary perspective in his own way.