Just in time for the World Cup, VINSONart and The Sun ATL bring Atlanta-based painter Raphael Bahindwa to the lobby of the Rialto Center for the Arts for an exhibition of new work celebrating football, wildlife, and the landscapes of his native Congo.
These new paintings span two joyful bodies of work. The first pays tribute to the beautiful game - children playing soccer/football, and luminous portraits of Pelé and Maradona - created expressly for this World Cup moment. The second draws from Bahindwa's Congolese roots: vivid landscapes populated by giraffes, hippos, and leopards rendered in the artist's signature style of fluorescent hues against rich, dark grounds. A glowing depiction of Piedmont Park bridges both worlds, planting the work firmly in Atlanta.
Working in layered acrylic and oil, Bahindwa builds richly textured compositions that combine abstract gesture with deep cultural affection - paintings that are warm, alive, and unmistakably his own. Bahindwa earned his BFA in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2022.
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 14, 5:30-7 PM | Free & open to the public
Sales inquiries: Contact information available on wall labels throughout the exhibition.
The Rialto Center for the Arts, 80 Forsyth ST NW Atlanta GA 30303
