Kristof De Clercq gallery is delighted to announce that three photographic works by Léonard Pongo have been acquired by the Cera collection at M Leuven. This marks the first entry of Pongo's work into the prestigious collection, which focuses on supporting emerging and established Belgian contemporary artists.
The acquired works are part of Pongo's seminal series The Uncanny (2011–2017), a seven-year photographic exploration of life in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Created primarily in the aftermath of elections and focusing on nocturnal urban life, the series captures intimate moments of daily existence while maintaining a deliberately ambiguous quality that invites deeper reflection.
Working between Brussels and Kinshasa, Pongo creates work that examines how Congo is represented and what remains invisible in those representations. His practice, which includes photography, video, installation, and textile, is informed by his position within the Congolese diaspora and draws on extensive research into communities and environments.
The Cera collection, comprising approximately 600 works by over 100 artists, is on long-term loan to M Leuven, where it is managed, conserved, and presented alongside historic masterpieces and leading contemporary art from the collections of the City of Leuven and the Flemish Community.
The works will be presented from October 2026 at the exhibition Beeldenstroom at Cera, a project in collaboration with Breedbeeld and with curatorial support from M.
