Photography is a way to capture precious moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. For some visual artists, photography is also a way to merge past and present. Congolese filmmaker and visual artist Jeanpy Kabongo recently created a collection of photographs using Kuba rugs, a traditional textile made by the Kuba tribe in central Democratic Republic of Congo.
Jeanpy Kabongo applies a clear dark stage technique to take photos, which he then places on Kuba carpets to create a unique tableau. He already has a dozen paintings ready and others are in the process of being created, with the aim of developing his own style to tackle different subjects linked to cultural identity.
Most of his works feature an image of a child with a deep-rooted gaze. For Jeanpy Kabongo, this image represents a look that brings us back to ourselves and questions us about our holy and enlightened spirit as opposed to a dark spirit in our daily life.
According to Kabongo, his works are not in line with the current trend which values the exoticism of Africa only for its cultural aspects. On the contrary, they represent a personal reconciliation with his own history and cultural identity, which have been neglected by himself and other young people. After research, he discovered the Kuba rug, which represents the wisdom and invention of the past. His paintings therefore represent the spirit of a people imprisoned in their minds by darkness and ignorance, which reconnects with its history to invite a return to history from which the desired light could come to put order in the present.
Jeanpy recently presented his work in a workshop in Kinshasa, where he shared his motivations and the message behind his works. Kuba rugs are unique in their intricacy and intricacy of design and decorative quality, using a variation of rectangular or square pieces of woven palm leaf fibers. The addition of the geometric patterns executed in linear embroidery and other stitches, which are cut to form velvet-like pile surfaces, makes each kuba rug precious.
Jeanpy Kabongo represents the new generation of Congolese and African visual artists in general, who seek to reconnect with their history and their culture as a means of representing themselves in the present and the future. His collection of kuba rug photography represents a fusion of traditional history and modern technology, creating unique and emotional works.