The Night of Science 9.1.2025

Since 2005, Sammy Baloji has been exploring the memory and history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He researches the cultural, architectural and industrial heritage of the Katanga region, and the impact that Belgian colonisation had on it. He employs a variety of media to translate his research into artworks. He uses photographic archives to manipulate time and space, comparing ancient colonial narratives with contemporary economic imperialism. His video works, installations, sculptures, and photographic series highlight the way that identities are shaped, transformed, distorted and reinvented. His critical view of contemporary societies warns about the way cultural cliches continue to shape collective memories, allowing social and political power games to continue to dictate human behaviour.

His recent solo exhibitions include: Sammy Baloji, Goldsmiths CCA, London (2024); Unextractable: Sammy Baloji invites, Kunsthalle Mainz, Mainz (2024); Style Congo: Heritage & Heresy, CIVA, Brussels (2023); K(C)ongo, Fragments of Interlaced Dialogues. Subversive Classifications, Palazzo Pitti, Florence (2022); K(C)ongo, Fragments of Interlaced Dialogues, Beaux-Arts de Paris (2021); Sammy Baloji, Other Tales, Lund Konsthall and Aarhus Kunsthal (2020); Congo, Fragments d’une histoire, Le Point du Jour, Cherbourg (2019); A Blueprint for Toads and Snakes, Framer Framed, Amsterdam (2018); Sven Augustijnen & Sammy Baloji, Museumcultuur Strombeek (2018); Urban Now : City Life in Congo, with Filip de Boeck, The Power Plant, Toronto and WIELS, Brussels (2016-2017); and Hunting and Collecting, Mu. ZEE Kunstmuseum aan zee, Ostend (2014).

Baloji has recently participated in: the 35th Bienal de São Paulo (2023); Venice Architecture Biennale (2023); 15th Sharjah Biennial (2023); Sydney Biennial (2020); documenta 14 (Kassel/Athens, 2017); Lyon Biennial (2015); Venice Biennale (2015); and the Photoquai Biennial at the Musée du Quai Branly (Paris, 2015).

A Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, he has received numerous awards, distinctions and grants, including the KU Leuven Culture Prize 2022, a Special Mention at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, and the Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative. In 2019-2020, he was a resident at L’Académie de France à Rome – Villa Médicis. In 2022–2024 he was a resident at the Philharmonie de Paris, where he created an installation for the re-opening of the building in 2025. In 2008, Sammy Baloji co-founded the Rencontres Picha/Biennale de Lubumbashi. In September 2019, he started a PhD in Artistic Research: “Contemporary Kasala and Lukasa: towards a Reconfiguration of Identity and Geopolitics” at Sint Lucas Antwerpen.

Sammy Baloji talks about Aequare. The Future That Never Was at the Venice Architecture Biennale: youtube.com

Cinema Orion is at Eerikinkatu Street 15, with excellent accessibility from Kamppi. The nearest metro station is Kamppi, 500 metres from the cinema. The nearest tram stop is 250 metres away at Kampintori Square, and buses stop only 150 metres away on Albertinkatu Street. For more information, see the HSL route guide.

Unfortunately, Cinema Orion itself is currently not barrier-free.

Please inform the theatre’s ticket office or info(a)cinemaorion.fi in advance if you will be arriving at the screening in a wheelchair, so that we can reserve enough staff to ensure smooth service. It is currently not possible to arrange access for electric wheelchairs.

We follow safer-space principles in our events. Come as you are! We do not accept racism, discrimination based on gender, sexuality, age or any other characteristic or trait.

Read more about Cinema Orion: cinemaorion.fi IHME Helsinki Safer Space Guidelines

We are committed to conserving the planet’s resources and IHME Helsinki has been awarded the Eco-Compass certificate. That is why we have not invited the artist to be present, but we will be holding an online Q&A session between screenings.

Read more about sustainability