Kinshasa.

We met this with Chantal Tombu, director and curator at Texaf Bilembo center in Kinshasa to discuss the nature of the space and her activities as an historian with great enthusiasm. The center is now welcoming a unique exhibition around the release of the book Artistes du 21e siècle : RDC. Vol. 3. : Art Contemporain en République Démocratique du Congo, the third of the collection, dedicated to Congolese multidisciplinary artists Rachel Malaika NKUMISONGO, Catheris MONDOMBO and Thonton KABEYA and in collaboration with artist and curator Christine DECELLE.  During this conversation, we took time to further discover the mission of Texaf Bilembo along with the different challenges contemporary arts faces when it comes to broadening visibility of its talents and documenting their works.

The collection of books was born out of the need to fill the void when it comes to documenting arts and creating ressources dealing with the contemporary Congolese society, the historian highlights “Arts and Crafts in Congo are blooming. You may have to look at how fascinating any exhibition happening in Europe or anywhere else, in the uS for example and staring artists from Kinshasa is. However we are not as careful when it comes to document and archive all of these works.Here comes the mission of our space.” Something she and her many collaborators in and outside the center have been involved in.

“Arts historians are here to serve artists and help translating their message and vision, making them accessible to the broadest. There are artists who know how to paint, sculpt, conceptualise but wouldn’t find the words just like an historian may not be ale to paint, draw, create. Words are here to open doors and dive deeper into a painting; a sculpture. When this fusion happens, it is similar to the sound of a soul shuddering.”

The nonprofit has been able to debut this collection of publications, one release a year, each book focusing on different aspect of the contemporary art scene in Congo and featuring portrait of the artists mentioned. “For the first release “La Peinture Populaire en Héritage”, 2019, we invited J.P MIKA however he insisted on extending the focus to others contemporary artists recalls Chantal, - 10 total - who had contributed to his blooming as an artist. While second release “Papiers de Société”, 2020 featuring  Kura SHOMALI, Raymond TSHAM et Steve BANDOMA had a more journalistic angles as the three artists often use medium to highlight the many layers and complexities of the Congolese society of our days, also questioning Africa-West relationships and influences in a post-colonialism context.”

When it comes to this third volume, the team decided to cross the path of 3 artists whose genres are very distinct from each others, only guided by their affinity, each depicting a different angle of Congolese Contemporary arts. None will remain insensitive to the portraits of Rachel Malaika Nkumisongo rich in colours and meanings which often merge heritage symbols with Western codes, ancient and new.  Also featured in the publication, the work of Congolose and South Africa based Thonton Kabeya who likes to sculpt on small-scaled canvas to depict the trivial and sensual while Catheris Mondombo paints worlds within worlds in his large-scaled canvas. The three way conversation allows the reader and visitors of the exhibit to experiences various layers of the same society.

As a nonprofit, Texaf Bilembo aims at promoting the artists they work first, operating from a neutral angle, privileging the promotion of the artists they work with and ensuring legacy is guaranteed through publications, documentations and exhibitions insists Tombu while finding supports to carry the mission.

“There is a lot of work involved behind those publications and we have been lucky to be supported on this journey by a partner in tune with arts, The Trust Merchant Bank (TMB). TMB has been involved in cultural life of Congo and organises events regularly in their own cultural space. They have been supporting the exhibition accompanying the release of this third book whose preview happened this 1st December.”

The show has been commissioned by Christine Decelle who imagined a unique scenography to highlight the works of the three artists including the exclusives portraits by Rachel Malaika Nkumisongo shown for the first time at Texaf Bilembo. While the broad and colourful canvas of Catheris Mondombo are tempered by Thonton Kabeya’s scenes of intimacy and glimpses of city life.

Through our conversation, Chantal TOMBU appears as passionated and vigorous someone on a mission can be, insisting on the broader value the cultural center vows to bring especially towards younger generations. Indeed, aside from the artistic initiatives and many publications it delivers, the nonprofit organisation organises interactive workshops and activities destined to children all oriented towards environmental challenges and grouped under the project SOS Planète Congo. Using the tradition of tales, the project educates groups of children on the variations of ecosystems across the different provinces of the country but also on animals and green jobs to inspire and why not create future callings. The historian is very hopeful towards those future generations “Once you know your treasure, you are more incline to protect it and not let anyone steal from it. There are real challenges at stake and if we don’t engage the youth already, who is going to lead in the next years ? What we are doing is a small drop in the ocean however it still matters."

Artistes du 21e siècle : RDC. Vol. 3. Thonton Kabeya, Rachel Malaika, Catheris Mondombo : Art Contemporain en République Démocratique du Congo, edited by Weyrich and supported by Trust Merchant Bank (TMB)