Jeanpy Kabongo, a 28-year-old Congolese visual artist, specializes in photography. He has developed a collection of unique works combining traditional Kuba rugs from the DRC with photos in chiaroscuro. His work evokes the union between past and present and invites reconnection with African history and culture, while addressing various topics such as cultural identity.
The artist is a graduate of the Institute of Fine Arts in Kinshasa and did his graduate studies in India. It was on his return home that he began his research on African culture and history. He discovered the Kuba carpet, a textile invented in the 17th century in the Kuba Kingdom. Fascinated by the ingenuity behind this creation, Jeanpy began to associate this textile with his photographs.
The Kuba rug is a variation of rectangular or square pieces of palm leaf fibers that are woven and enhanced with geometric patterns executed in linear embroidery. The result is a unique type of carpet thanks to the complexity of their design and their decorative quality.
Jeanpy Kabongo incorporated the Kuba carpet into his photographs to highlight the wisdom and inventiveness inherited from the past. His works represent the spirit of a people reconnecting with their history and culture, hoping to find the light needed to bring order to the present.
The artist has created around ten works combining Kuba rugs with photos in chiaroscuro scenes, where a child appears in all the paintings with a gaze that questions the viewer. According to Jeanpy, this gaze encourages everyone to focus on what is important, rather than being distracted by the darkness of ignorance.
Through this work, Jeanpy Kabongo shows his attachment to African culture and history while encouraging young people to creativity and inventiveness. The rediscovery of Kuba textiles allowed him to rediscover a creative genius that the new Congolese generation lacks.