First successes, big ambitions and first galleys
When he turned 17, Claudy Khan held a first-time art exhibition at the Okapi hotel in Kinshasa, DRC, a phenomenal success as all his paintings were sold! Post-exhibition, he felt he had conquered the DRC in the art world, and began to dream about bringing his work to the other parts of the planet. He decided to move to a developed country to further his studies, but he didn’t settle in Belgium, the former colonial power of the DRC: “I first enrolled in Architecture in Montreal, Canada, but on my way to Canada, I stopped in France to visit friends in Nantes. I did not continue my trip because I enrolled in Architecture there.”
The first year abroad from his family was a financial challenge, as he was not on a scholarship. Claudy survived by teaching art classes and selling paintings, but to his surprise, his paintings were not of public interest. After a period of self-questioning and introspection, Claudy came to a realization when a French fan asked him: “why do you paint blacks? “
The young man realized that he had continued to follow his creative inclination regardless of his new environment and target market. Claudy Khan remembers it with a small smile: “In Africa, I sold everything … to European tourists! In Europe, I did not sell …I was the tourist! So, I had to “write” my painting so that the same European tourist could read me and not bring back a souvenir from Africa “.
Claudy looked forward to the university summer break. In Kinshasa, he held a new exhibition, another massive success. The proceeds from his painting sales supported him for the next two years in Europe and he was able to continue his studies in Architecture.
The evolution of artistic techniques
At the beginning of his studies, Claudy Khan sought to find his style with a variety of techniques: “I explored everything: painting with a knife, a brush, an airbrush, oil, pastel, charcoal, and acrylic. I also tried both canvas and papers. I think it’s best to test everything when you’re looking to find your favorite tool.”
Since 2008, the artist started working simultaneously on several paintings. First, he lets the paint flow on the prepared canvases. Then, Claudy shakes the canvases to let the colors and hues blend, forming effects and defects. The artist lets the work dry, then observes them to see “what the painting wants to reveal to him”. The finished painting is therefore “inspired by colors”, according to Khan.
When asked what message his paintings convey, he points to his style of work and responds: “Open your eyes, read deep inside of you and you will see!”.
