Masela Nkolo
Masela Nkolo’s multidisciplinary practice spans installation, sculpture, textiles, and performance. Born in Kinshasa, Congo, he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts with an emphasis on large-scale sculpture. But it was actually by failing his first year of art school that he learned to confront his identity as a Congolese artist and to reconnect with the cultural richness of his heritage.
In the streets of Kinshasa, Masela quickly joined his friends in an art movement that they termed “Neo - Ngongism.” The movement's goal was to awaken the collective conscience of the population through the arts, starting with street exhibitions.
In 2016, he left Congo to embark on an adventure in the United States, bringing his practice to new landscapes and expanding his exploration of cultural and personal identity through art.
He was recently awarded the Juror's Choice Award at the MOCA GA Biennial, a show surveying Georgia’s artist, and has received prestigious accolades such as the ArtFields Award in 2023 and 2024. Currently, he is Midtown Heart of the Arts Resident Artist for 2025-2026 and has received a fellowship at Andrew Freedman in the Bronx, NY, for 2025.
His work has been exhibited at notable venues, including Johnson Lowe Gallery (GA), Agora Gallery (NY), The Mint Museum (NC), Atlanta Contemporary (GA), Path Museum (GA), and ArtFields (SC).
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