The seven art trades of the Congo

"Artist" says very little when you are looking for someone to do a specific job. Here are the seven trades this directory brings together, what each one makes, and what you can reasonably ask for.

Painters

Canvas, acrylic, oil, pigment, sometimes collage and salvaged material. You can buy an existing piece, or commission a portrait from a photograph. Two useful questions: the exact format, and whether the canvas ships stretched or rolled.

Sculptors

Wood, bronze, clay, salvaged metal. Wood is still the most common material, and the species changes everything: the weight, the colour, the way the piece ages. Ask which wood, how heavy, and whether the piece has been treated against insects, especially if it is travelling.

Photographers

Portraits, studio, weddings, reportage. This is the trade where the contract matters most, because image rights are settled in advance and never afterwards.

Fashion designers

Printed cloth, made to measure, ready to wear, accessories. Made to measure needs proper measurements and at least one fitting, so either your presence or a trusted go-between. Ready to wear travels far more easily.

Jewellers

Beads, copper, raffia, gold. Pieces are light, easy to ship, and lend themselves well to commissioning from a distance. Ask which metal exactly, and whether the beads are old or new.

Craftspeople

Basketry, pottery, cabinetmaking, weaving, leather. These are the trades whose objects fill the markets, and where the difference between a handmade piece and a resold import comes down to the question you ask.

Illustrators and graphic designers

Drawing, comics, posters, visual identity. The only group whose work is delivered as a file: they work remotely without difficulty, for a client in Brazzaville as easily as in Paris or Montreal.

Choosing

Each trade has its own page here, with the makers listed, their city and their contact details. Contact is direct, with no commission.