Sammy
Baloji

Awardee & 2024 Impact Award Jury Member

Country

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sammy Baloji's artwork poignantly explores the complex interplay of cultural identity, colonial history, and industrial exploitation within his homeland.

Themes
Reexamining history
Racial justice
Disciplines
Photography
Visual Art
Awards
Archive - Prince Claus Laureate 2009

Profile

Sammy Baloji is a photographer and visual artist based in Belgium. His artwork poignantly explores the complex interplay of cultural identity, colonial history, and industrial exploitation within his homeland. Baloji juxtaposes archival materials with contemporary visual narratives to critique the socio-economic impacts of extractive industries in the Congo.His acclaimed projects include "Mémoire" and the "Congo Far West" series, which have been exhibited internationally, including at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Belgium and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. These works particularly highlight the haunting presence of colonial legacies intertwined with current realities. Baloji holds a degree in Humanities from the University of Lubumbashi and furthered his studies in visual arts at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Kinshasa.