Congo Tales: Told by the People of Mbomo
Parallel to Gerhard Richter: Abstraction, the exhibition of photographs by Pieter Henket gave insight into the oral tradition of fairy tales, stories, and myths from the Mbomo region of the Republic of Congo.
The Congo Tales project explores the theme of how stories are told. The oral tradition of passing on stories and cultural practices is the cornerstone of cultural communities.
Initiated by Stefanie Plattner and Eva Vonk, this years-long project visualizes fables and stories from the Mbomo region of the Odzala Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo with works by the New York–based photographer Pieter Henket. The accompanying program also included a documentary by the Pulitzer Grant–winning photographer Jasper Rischen. An exhibition catalog was published by Prestel.
Retrospect
The Potsdam exhibition, which was accompanied by an educational program, was the second stop for this oral culture project. The project was launched as a photo exhibition in Mbomo, Congo. The entire project, its makers, and their motivation was presented in the Barberini app in the form of an interactive journey. Films and texts from the Congo were combined with interviews and stories from the exhibition.
