The Uncanny

"For a place so often seen through images of devastation and disaster, this series offers an intimate view at the heart of the Congo: private moments marked by great sadness but also hinting at joy and dreams." Wilco Versteeg in The Uncanny. On Léonard Pongo 2019.

Between 2011 and 2017, Léonard Pongo travelled through several provinces in the south-west and south of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including Kinshasa, Bandundu and Kasai. The snapshots he took there became the black-and-white photo series The Uncanny.

For seven years, he took the time to document the many faces of the DRC. Even though he works in black and white and abstracts the context through the use of blur, contrast and movement, the images are never distant or detached. On the contrary, Pongo completely immerses the viewer in the atmosphere and culture of Congo, focusing on what is happening outside the political crises and defying any attempt at a clear-cut definition.

The photographs show scenes from daily life, often in city environments and at night, in the aftermath of the elections. The characters appear alone or in groups, in a variety of moods and settings: from prayer to celebration, happiness to strife, boredom to anger. The shots were taken both indoors and outdoors, showing subjects in intimate scenes or theatrical poses. The intense gestures and gazes make you reflect on the neutrality of your position as viewer.