About this artwork

Like other Congolese artists from the generation preceding him - Chéri Chérin and Chéri Samba - J.P. Mika frequently includes prominent people in his paintings, and his work is often political. In this one, Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela, who are among his favorite subjects, raise their hands in a victory salute while standing on what appears to be a smiling map of Africa with the word “Paix” (Peace) written within the smile.