Jean-Philippe Kalonji is a Swiss painter, illustrator and comic book author whose work is grounded in drawing as both craft and language. Born in Geneva to a family with roots in the Congo (DRC), he developed an early visual vocabulary shaped by cross-cultural reference points—classical painting, Japanese art and narrative image-making—then expanded it through periods living and working abroad (notably in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Liberia).
Kalonji’s practice moves fluently between fine art and applied illustration, often returning to the human figure, especially portraiture, as a site where identity, memory and social reality can be held in the same frame. His works are frequently described as bridge-building: drawing that connects people, places and histories, and that can carry both tenderness and critique.
Beyond the studio, he is known for institutional and civic collaborations. His “humanitarian and societal” imagery has addressed subjects such as migration, conflict, slavery, the North–South imbalance, and other contemporary urgencies, and has led to partnerships with Swiss institutions, NGOs, and international organisations (including the ICRC and UNHCR, both listed among collaborators). He has also been commissioned by Geneva’s Musée d’ethnographie (MEG) for exhibition-related work and is cited as an artistic resident connected to Geneva’s Musée d’art et d’histoire.
Kalonji’s relationship with materials is central to his visibility: he is a Caran d’Ache ambassador and has created illustrations for the brand’s packaging as well as communication artwork for special initiatives, most prominently the Caran d’Ache partnership with the ICRC around the 849 pen, where proceeds were directed to the ICRC.