Rencontre sous le Ficus
(Kinshasa, 2016)
20 × 5 m — reclaimed colonial glass, imported industrial glass, Chinese glass, lead
Rencontre sous le ficus was created in a former colonial cotton factory in Kinshasa, now transformed into a cultural centre. The monumental glass wall spans twenty metres in length and five metres in height. It does not divide the space but opens a passage — a threshold between exhibition and encounter. Behind the glass lies a resting place, a small café where visitors can pause, speak, and look.
The work refers to the ficus tree that grows outside the building — a plant domesticated and spread across the world through colonial trade, both familiar and wild. Within the glass, the tree becomes a metaphor for growth and continuity, a shadow-image of coexistence.
By combining colonial glass with contemporary industrial and Chinese glass, the work brings together distinct material and economic histories. During the day, natural light from high windows drifts across the surface; at night, the interior glow reveals the presence of those gathered behind it.
Rencontre sous le ficus becomes a living membrane between day and night, matter and light — a space where history and presence briefly coincide.
