Kinshasa, July 21st, 2025 (CPA). – A call for the integration of visual art into the education system of the Democratic Republic of Congo, from an early age, has been launched on Monday in the capital Kinshasa by a Congolese visual artist interviewed by CPA, with a view to strengthening the impact of this field in Congolese society. ‘It is necessary to further integrate visual art into the education system from childhood onwards and to take action to strengthen its impact on our society. Several initiatives can be considered, including the creation and support of exhibition spaces accessible to the public,’ has declared the visual artist Mireille Ilunga Mulongo. She has believed that it is also essential to provide regular funding for artistic projects, both from the Congolese state and the private sector. ‘I advocate for the promotion of Congolese artists internationally and the encouragement of collaborations between artists, institutions and communities, in order to anchor art in social life.’
The challenges facing visual artists in DRC
Ilunga Mulongo has also discussed the main challenges facing Congolese visual artists.
« Visual artists in DRC face economic difficulties related to the sale and promotion of their works, a lack of materials, weak government support and limited access to exhibition and training spaces. Public awareness of the value of art also remains insufficient, » she has lamented. According to her, visual art plays a fundamental role in safeguarding Congolese cultural values and transmitting heritage. It embodies the identity of a people and contributes to the continuity of their way of life. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa, Mireille Ilunga Mulongo is renowned for her figurative paintings with a surrealist approach. In 2022, she has participated in the exhibition organised during the visit of King Philippe of Belgium and President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi to the Academy of Fine Arts of Kinshasa.