Photo of artist Wilfried Mbida in her studio. Courtesy of Bwo.
OVERVIEW
Wilfried Mbida (b. 1990) is a visual artist who lives and works in Douala, Cameroon. Holding a Master’s degree in Art History and Fine Art from l’Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Nkongsamba, Mbida has developed over the past ten years a figurative practice centered on depicting home interiors and their resounding silence.
In the essay for the group exhibition “Tales by Women”, art historian and curator Bansoa Sigam writes that “[Mbida’s] acute depiction of interior spaces transcends borders however, and she portrays wherever she senses the right place, the right moment, the right feeling.” Mbida’s distinctive artistic practice lies in her ability to create works that manifestly encapsulate the essence of her subjects' lives, while meticulously documenting the surroundings in which they unfold. Often brought to life on paper or canvas through the skillful use of acrylic and/or pastels, Mbida’s work immerses viewers in the stillness of filled spaces, constructing environments that pulsate with palpable tension or vulnerability.
The subjects of Mbida’s work are often individuals whose personal stories of victory or defeat, opulence or modesty, exploration or sedentarization, are worth sharing and highlighting. Transcending the richness of these intimate narratives, Mbida's work also embodies the artist's poetic endeavor—an artful pursuit to cast a sociological lens and undertake an archival odyssey, unraveling the intricate threads of evolving lifestyles in Cameroon and beyond, across the canvases of time.