Subjective mapping of Lubumbashi
★ October 2024 → October 2026 (expected) ⚑
Initiated by Atelier Picha, the Subjective Atlas of Lubumbashi is being developed as part of the Biennale de Lubumbashi, with the completed publication set to launch during the Biennale in 2026. Led by the Picha team (Sammy Baloji, Grady Bizaki, Semi Kansense, Gaelle Van Lede, Jean-Sylvain, and Filip De Boeck) the project brings together Lubumbashi’s growing artistic community to map the city from within. Through participatory workshops and individual contributions, artists, residents, and cultural practitioners explore how contemporary life in Lubumbashi emerges from—and is continually shaped by—its layered histories: the extractive logics of mining, shifting economic and ecological conditions, postcolonial urban transformations, and the social and cultural practices that sustain daily life. By foregrounding situated perspectives rather than official narratives, the atlas reveals Lubumbashi as a constellation of interconnected worlds, where memory, labour, creativity, and resilience intersect.
Events
Process
Drawing inspiration from the theme of the Picha Biennale, the concept of “toxicity” serves as a lens to critically examine how individuals and their environments—natural, social, and cultural—are shaped by historical forces. As philosopher Gramsci noted, we are the products of countless historical “traces” that influence us, even if we lack a clear inventory of them. By focusing on toxicity, the project opens a space for artistic reflection, encouraging participants to explore history’s visible and invisible imprints on the present. Through this exploration, we hope to understand better not only where we come from but also the potential futures we can imagine from this point forward.
Through workshops focused on subjective mapping, residents of Lubumbashi contribute their perspectives to the city’s cartography, addressing urban challenges through their lived experiences. Following the design methodology of Subjective Editions, these personal maps are compiled into an atlas that brings together multiple viewpoints. By focusing on a specific aspect of their experiences—whether social, cultural, or environmental—locals are invited to express what truly resonates with them, offering a deeper understanding of how these elements can be mapped and symbolized in a way that reflects their lived realities.
Press
Acknowledgements
Institutional partner: Atelier Picha Supported by: Flanders, state of the art Project team: Annelys de Vet ( editor in chief) & Picha team (Sammy Baloji, Grady Bizaki, Semi Kansense, Gaelle Van Lede, Jean-Sylvain, and Filip De Boeck)
