This exhibition brings together six Congolese artists whose techniques and materials stand out because they are unusual and bold. While their original approach may have aroused curiosity and attracted attention at the start of their careers, in actual fact the strength of their works means that the unique nature of their techniques takes a back seat.

Catheris Mondombo works on worn tarpaulins. This material symbolises the precariousness of the human condition, while the stitches that he adds evoke the idea of repair. Lianza works on rice sacks that he frays after painting his subjects with oils. This process symbolises and bolsters his message on the fragility of human existence. Eli Made “paints” using a paintbrush dipped in bleach on black fabric. He uses his astonishing mastery of the technique to create subtle works focusing on states of mind. Gael Maski deconstructs his own photos and then reassembles them into photo collages, offering a kaleidoscopic vision of often surrealist scenes. Théo Mwamba is showing two works painted on tyre and inner tubes. The choice of rubber symbolises the dark hours of the Belgian Congo, when the Congolese were forced to collect rubber. Finally Stanis Mbwanga, who trained in China, creates pop art style portraits on plates. Contemporary ceramics have for a long time remained a fringe activity in the Congolese art world, making his work unique. However, they are now starting to emerge.

Click on the works below for more details.