King Paris — Contemporary Tribal Artist

Milandou Badila, known professionally as King Paris, is a Congolese American multidisciplinary artist whose work fuses African heritage with contemporary art, music, and design. Born in Paris, France, to a Congolese father—the founder of the National Ballet of Congo—and an African American mother, a playwright, Paris was raised in a family deeply immersed in ritual, performance, and storytelling. From an early age, he absorbed the symbolic and spiritual power of masks, dance, and ceremony—experiences that formed the foundation of his visual and conceptual language.

Working across sculpture, painting, performance, and digital media, Paris has developed a distinctive practice centered on reinterpreting pre-colonial African cultural artifacts for contemporary audiences. Through scale, material transformation, and narrative, his work explores themes of ancestry, ownership, cultural continuity, and the evolving identity of African objects within the global canon. His practice positions African forms not as relics of the past, but as living entities capable of occupying new spaces within contemporary art, design, and architecture.

Following the debut of his Guardians series, Paris expanded his practice into highly refined painted works that merge fine art with sculptural intervention. In March 2026, he will release an exclusive body of work in collaboration with DTR Modern Galleries, featuring unique painted variants finished with hand-embellished Swarovski crystals and oil pastels. Each piece is individually completed by the artist, transforming the surface into a dimensional, luminous field that bridges painting, sculpture, and luxury craftsmanship. Released as limited editions, these works mark a pivotal evolution in his practice, establishing a new category between contemporary fine art and collectible design.

Parallel to his visual art career, Paris has achieved international recognition as a musician, blending Afrobeats and pop rap in performances that extend his cultural storytelling across disciplines. His multidisciplinary approach allows him to engage audiences through both physical objects and live cultural expression, reinforcing his position as a contemporary cultural architect.

Resonating with collectors, curators, and institutions engaged in African and diasporic art, Paris’ work challenges conventional boundaries between artifact, contemporary art, and design. His practice establishes Contemporary Tribal Art as a living and expanding movement, redefining how African visual language can exist within modernity. His mission remains constant: to preserve, reinterpret, and elevate African cultural forms while building new pathways for their presence within contemporary art, global luxury, and future cultural memory.

Explore King Paris at DTR Modern Galleries

Discover the visionary work of King Paris at DTR Modern Galleries, where Contemporary Tribal Art meets luxury craftsmanship and cultural innovation. Explore limited-edition releases, hand-embellished works, and sculptural paintings that redefine African visual language within contemporary fine art and collectible design. Connect with a new generation of global collectors engaging with African diasporic art through scale, symbolism, and elevated materiality. Inquire today to experience the evolving legacy of King Paris.