Photograph courtesy Gift Mayambi
Etched into the paper’s grooves, ink lines spiral and swirl. Up close, the scribbles are loose and abstract, but from far away, a picture forms: Bulbous baobab trees rising from the earth and figures whose faces are hidden by masks.
“In life, it’s not a straight line,” Gift Mayambi says. Online, the artist describes himself as a painter and “scribbler.” According to his digital portfolio, this haphazard method of drawing is reflective of his journey and the uncertainty of where different roads in life may lead. “We’re always trying to do the next thing. But in my childhood, we moved, and it was kind of chaotic because as a kid you have friends, you build relationships, but you tend to leave them behind, and so it feels in the moment like you’re just spinning in circles.”
Mayambi is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Growing up, he and his family moved across Africa before settling in Cincinnati in 2014. This constant relocating is reflected in his artwork, where pen scribbles represent the twisting, unpredictable paths people take through life.
Mayambi graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning in 2023. Now an industrial designer, he uses his free time to create and exhibit artwork alongside his brother, photographer Romain Mayambi. Working in mediums such as acrylic, marker, and pen, Mayambi’s art is an exploration of childhood, intertwining fragments of memories with a recurring element: masks.
When Mayambi immigrated, he learned the local language to adapt. He finds this comparable to wearing different masks, where the faces people show can vary depending on where they are or who they are with.
“When we moved to Zambia as kids, we tried to blend in [with] language,” Mayambi says. “It’s like I’m trying to mask myself, trying to fit in whatever environment I’m in at the moment, and I relate that to our childhood.”
In his artwork, masked figures are seen in joyful acts such as dancing or braiding hair. The vibrant hues and subject matter reflect the colorful experience of childhood, while also acknowledging the universal pressure to fit in.
“We’re always hiding another side of ourselves,” Mayambi says. “It’s a core thing that we just have to face, and a lot of us are not courageous enough or don’t have the will to.”
In Cincinnati, the Mayambi brothers share a studio space for photography, painting, and fashion design. They include musicians in joint exhibitions as well, playing traditional African music to fully immerse viewers into history and culture. For Mayambi, this “storytelling” brings a piece of home to the Queen City.
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