Lucie Kamuswekera’s embroideries

À travers ses illustrations évocatrices, elle explore les traumatismes du passé colonial, ainsi que les cicatrices laissées par les guerres qui ont déchiré pendant des décennies ce grand pays situé au cœur du continent africain. Mais au-delà de la tragédie, ses œuvres célèbrent la résilience et la force des femmes congolaises. Comme l'a si bien dit le professeur Bogumil : « Au plus fort de la tragédie, ce sont toujours les femmes qui permettent non seulement à la société de survivre biologiquement, mais aussi de se reconstituer socialement et moralement. »

On her embroideries, the artist powerfully recounts the complex and tumultuous history of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while highlighting the crucial role of women in the survival and resilience of Congolese society. By embroidering images on used burlap sacks, she illustrates the history of the region and attempts to explain the historical roots of the violence that ravages it today.

The exhibition comes to life through the words of the artist herself: “I started embroidering when people started dying.” These words resonate deeply at the heart of the exhibition, underlining the intimate link between art and human experience, even in the darkest periods of history.

This exhibition is an invitation to reflect on the transformative power of art and human resilience. It is also an ode to art’s ability to bear witness to history, heal the wounds of the past and inspire hope for the future of the DRC, Africa and humanity as a whole.