Johnny Leya (Traumnovelle), co-curator of the DRC Pavilion in Venice with MOKO Collective

n June 2025, a new curatorial collective was established with the ambition of amplifying the voice of the Congolese art scene at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. Named MOKO Collective—“unity” in Lingala—the group brings together four figures with complementary practices, engaged in a transdisciplinary reflection on contemporary forms of creation.

Initiated by Cindy Makiana and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the project brings together philosopher and curator Nadia Yala Kisukidi (lead curator), art critic Jean Kamba, architect and scenographer Johnny Leya, a member of the Traumnovelle collective, and artist Aimé Mpane.

A platform for thinking plurality

Through the DRC Pavilion, MOKO Collective aims to offer an open and dynamic reading of Congolese creation, embracing both its local and diasporic expressions. Their curatorial approach is distinguished by a commitment to reflecting the geographical, historical and aesthetic diversity of artistic practices, without seeking to fix or reduce them to a single narrative.

Several artists have already been announced by the Pavilion, including Sammy Baloji, Damso and Léonard Pongo.