Sammy Baloji's Paris Exhibition Probes Colonial Collecting Ethics Through Katangan Artifacts

At Galerie Imane Farès in Paris, Sammy Baloji's exhibition explores the practices of collecting during the colonial period through various installations. The Congolese artist presents a hunting horn from Katanga province, adorned with scarification patterns to confuse colonizers, crafted by Belgian metalworkers. Enlarged images taken by German anthropologist Hans Himmelheber during his 1939 expedition in Katanga are displayed on mirrored panels, showing him alongside local porters. X-ray scans of Himmelheber's artifacts indicate that scientific examination may overlook their symbolic significance. Mirrors, which hold spiritual importance in Katangese culture, invite viewers to reflect on their own complicity. Additionally, a film projection features writer Fiston Mwanza Mujila reciting Kasalas, complemented by a touchscreen archive of photographs and texts. The exhibition is open until 13 February 2021.