Sammy Baloji: Le Père Sauvage – A Poetic Memento of K(C)ongo

Congolese artist Sammy Baloji brings together three artists for an evening of sound and visuals, with new music inspired by 1970s Pan-Africanism and Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness.

Visual artist Sammy Baloji works with photography, video, and installation to explore memory, history, and colonial legacies, combining archival and contemporary images to reveal untold stories.

This immersive performance reimagines the traditional concert experience through shifting perspectives of sound and space.

The programme features Szymon Brzóska’s composition for trumpet, cello, and piano, inspired by Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness (1899).

Pytshens Kambilo’s ensemble work draws on 1970s Pan-Africanism and Congolose rumba, rooted in urban life and used as a vehicle for liberation.

Satch Hoyt performs a sound cartography from the Hall’s balcony, inverting the traditional concert experience. By blending contemporary synthesised sounds and antique African instruments, he traces the journeys of Black people across the Atlantic.

Running time 90 minutes (no interval)

Creative Team

Sammy Baloji Artistic Direction
Minne De Meyer Engelbeen Set Designer
Philippe Demeestere Light Designer
Benoît de Leersnyder Artistic Advisor
Leen Stoffels Costume designer
Szymon Brzoska, Pytshens Kambilo, Satch Hoyt Composers
Szymon Brzóska (composer) Barbara Drazkov (harmonium / piano) Maria Kulowska (cello) Laurent Blondiau (trumpet) Edoardo Parente (percussion) Ensemble
Pytshens Kambilo (guitar, composer and arranger) Florence Kraus (saxophone) Tamukiuri Musene Nathan (bass) Gabrielle Rachel (trombone) Lucille Moussalli (trumpet) Jean Michel Bat (drums) Ensemble

Programme

Satch Hoyt Prologue – Chronicles for A Revolution
Szymon Brzoska I. Angor II. TimorIII. Citus
Pytshens Kambilo 1. Cam - Fe 2. 3Z
Szymon Brzoska IV. Interlude 1 VII. Chaconne V. Caligo
Pytshens Kambilo 4. Yorgo 3. Mu – Twa
Szymon Brzoska VI. Interlude 2 VIII. Severus
Satch Hoyt Épilogue – Excuse Me While I Change My Tongue