Léonard Pongo | Dialogue with the Source
FOMU (the museum for photography), Antwerp (BE)
18 September 2026 - 17 January 2027
What do you hear when you listen to the earth? This question has guided Belgian-Congolese artist Léonard Pongo (b.1988) on his travels across the Democratic Republic of the Congo for nearly a decade. Created especially for FOMU, his new immersive installation brings together photography, video, and textiles.
Pongo’s work is deeply rooted in Congolese traditions, symbolism, and philosophy. Rather than mapping the country, he seeks to evoke the experience of being in it. Using modified full-spectrum cameras, he captures wavelengths of light that remain invisible to the human eye. The resulting images are vibrant, otherworldly, and at times disorienting. They reveal the richness of the Congolese landscape while reminding us that every way of seeing is partial and subjective.
There are no people in Pongo’s images. Yet the relationship between humans and the land lies at the heart of his practice. Throughout his journeys, he collaborates with researchers and local communities whose stories and knowledge serve as an important source of inspiration. A recurring motif is the banana tree, a symbol of life, fertility, and cyclical renewal.
This year, Léonard Pongo’s work is on view at the Venice Biennale and has previously been exhibited at venues including Tate Modern in London and Jeu de Paume in Paris. In 2019, he participated in .tiff, FOMU’s platform for emerging talent. His work is also part of the FOMU Collection.
Dialogue with the Source is the outcome of Pongo’s artistic research at Thinking Tools, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. The installation was designed in collaboration with Johnny Leya (Traumnovelle) and produced by FOMU with the support of Auguste Orts, Kristof De Clercq Gallery, Parc National de l’Upemba (ICCN–FPF), and the Flemish Community.
