King Paris Congolese American, b. 1988

From an early age, he absorbed the symbolic power of masks, dance, and ceremony,

experiences that would shape his visual and conceptual vocabulary. Working across sculpture, painting, performance, and digital media, Paris has developed a distinctive practice that reimagines pre-colonial African cultural artifacts for contemporary audiences. His works use scale, materiality, and narrative to explore themes of ancestry, ownership, and the endurance of cultural memory in a globalized world.

In October 2025, Paris will present his debut exhibition, GUARDIANS, at Friedrichs Pontone in New York. The series reinterprets African historical figures as monumental contemporary sculptures, positioning them as both vessels of ancestral presence and agents of critical dialogue within today’s art world. By bridging history, spirituality, and design, GUARDIANS asserts ‘Contemporary Tribal Art’ as a vital and evolving force within the global canon.

Beyond the visual arts, Paris has achieved international recognition as a musician, blending

Afrobeats and pop rap in performances that extend his cultural storytelling to the stage. Signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, he has used music and performance as platforms for dialogue between Africa and the diaspora. Resonating with collectors, curators, and cultural thinkers exploring African and diasporic art, Paris’s practice challenges the boundaries between fine art, performance, and popular culture. His mission remains constant: to preserve, reinterpret, and elevate African art while creating bridges between past, present, and future.