The History in the Making exhibition, Curated by N’Goné Fall, features Dolet Malalu and Pamela Tulizo, both from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Living between Goma and Kinshasa, their works, while rooted in the history of their country, explore issues with a global resonance. The exhibition highlights what two contemporary Congolese artists have to say about a land with a singular journey who had 5 different names and 6 different flags over 120 years. With their paintings and photographs, Dolet Malalu and Pamela Tulizo address local issues with a global resonance and connect the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the world, thus telling us how the stories they share unfold a history in the making.
Inspired by the Congolese phenomenon of SAPE (Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People) Dolet Malalu transforms the Sapeurs – the Sape enthusiasts – into living archives to document the social evolution of his country. In his paintings, always carrying a sense of irony and humour, he combines his interest in SAPE, as well as in Congolese music and graffiti, to turn transgenerational practices into a cultural manifesto.
In MABABU, Spirit of the Ancestors, Pamela Tulizo documents the representation of women during Slavery, from their deportation to their resistance, including the African queens who made History on the continent. Drawing on archives and interviews with academics, she pays a tribute to Black women and echoes their fate with the current plight of women worldwide who endure similar psychological and physical violence driven by persistent patriarchy, human trafficking and mineral exploitation.
Almas Art Foundation, Arch 28, Old Union Yard Arches, 229 Union Street, London, SE1 0LR.
12 November 2026 – 17 January 2027
Monday to Saturday, 11:00 to 18:00 (closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays)
Website: https://www.almasartfoundation.org/
