The Centre of Excellence on Immersive Media Heritage (ImHerit) is pleased to announce The Congo Panorama 1913: Colonial Illusion Exposed, a new exhibition centered on the 1913 Panorama du Congo, to be held at the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, Belgium. Curated by Maarten Couttenier, Albertine Libert, Patrick Mudekereza, Leen Engelen and Victor Flores, it will be on view from 28 November 2025 through 27 September 2026.

The exhibition builds on the research and decolonial methodology developed through the FilmEU-RIT research pilot “Congo-VR: Decolonising the Panorama of Congo – A Virtual Heritage Artistic Research”, a collaborative partnership between Lusófona University (Portugal), LUCA School of Arts (Belgium), and the Institute of Art, Design + Technology (IADT, Ireland).

This work produced the first comprehensive photographic survey of the Panorama du Congo. Using 810 high-resolution photographs, the process culminated in a 7.39-gigapixel digital reproduction. This digitisation also enabled the creation of two immersive VR experiences that reframe the panorama through a decolonial perspective, granting new ways of critically engaging with its visual rhetoric and historical implications.

After one exhibition in Lisbon that showcased the VR experience and our historical research, the project now enters a new phase in Belgium. The forthcoming exhibition presents a scaled reproduction of the panorama integrated with sound installations, archival research and artistic interventions by Hilary Balu, Koenraad Ecker, Falonne Luamba Mambu, Kenny Mala Ngombe, Laurent Mbaah, Haldi Nzia Okudheyo, and Joëlle Sambi Nzeba.

Press articles about the exhibition:

• New York Times, 02-12-2025
• Brussels Times, 27-11-2025
• De Standaard, 30-11-2025
• Le Soir, 28-11-2025
• EOS Wetenschap, 28-11-2025
• VRT, 29-11-2025
• La Libre, 29-11-2025
• NOS Nieuws, 29-11-2025