Kuda Mushangi, born in 1995, is an award-winning artist and architect based in London.
Mushangi studied Architecture at the University of Liverpool and graduated received his Master of Architecture degree in 2020.
As an artist, he was recognised and featured as a young emerging artist through an open call competition held by Tate Modern and Tate Collective in 2020. In 2021, he was awarded the Holy Arts Art Gallery Prize.
Having a keen interest in engaging with the art community, Mushangi was featured in the Artist Talk Magazine in 2021 and has had his artwork shortlisted for the Ingram Prize for 2022. In 2024, Mushangi’s artwork was exhibited at the prestigious London Design Festival.
Mushangi’s vibrant paintings blend the figurative with the abstract to create powerfully unique depictions of seemingly common human experiences and emotions. His work is deeply rooted in narrative, storytelling, and allegory. Through his artwork, he aims to explore the complex nature of emotion and existence. Joy, loneliness, contentment, and self-doubt are just a few examples of the common themes throughout his work.
Autobiographical narrative is frequently at play throughout his work. In his paintings depicting solitary human figures, he aims to offer a new perspective by visually depicting his own experiences and stories. The enigmatic nature of the paintings is designed to evoke personal and emotional responses from the viewer.
Still Life Black Coffee & Banana 2024 Oil on cartridge paper 29.7 x 42.0 cm
The painting captures the simplicity of a common morning ritual for many people—the start of the day with a nutritious fruit and a strong dose of caffeine from black coffee. A peeled banana rests on a table alongside a black coffee.
Both objects sit on the table, which is placed on a white rug, creating a sense of domesticity and comfort within the painting.
Blue Slippers 2023 Oil on cartridge paper 29.7 x 42.0 cm
The painting depicts a scene where blue indoor slippers have been left on an orange carpet, and a white coffee mug is balanced on a table.
The theme of the painting is cosiness, with a domestic setting serving as the foundation of the concept. Mushangi uses bright and vivid yellows to evoke warmth and homeliness within the scene, balancing the composition with the inclusion of the blue slippers.