Simba Moto! Seize the fire! Saisis le feu!

Simba Moto! Seize the fire! Saisis le feu! is the Democratic Republic of Congo’s pavilion for the 2026 Venice Biennale. Curated by Nadia Yala Kisukidi and commissioned by Cindy Makiana, the exhibition includes work by Sammy Baloji, Arlette Bashizi, Patrick Bongoy, Damso, Gosette Lubondo, Nelson Makengo, Aimé Mpané, Léonard Pongo, and Géraldine Tobé. Antico Refettorio – Scuola Grande di San Marco, Castello 6777, 30122 Venice, Italy. May 9, 2026 — Runs May 9 through November 22, 2026. The pavilion is described as a multivocal presentation by artists from the DRC and its diaspora, with the trilingual title itself signaling a layered and expansive sense of Congolese voice. Based on the participating artists’ established practices, the exhibition spans multiple mediums and approaches while foregrounding contemporary Congolese cultural production in an international setting.