In 1925, a Mangbetu woman from north-eastern Congo became the viral campaign image of La Croisière Noire, a colonial propaganda expedition across the African continent, sponsored by Citroën. In 1934, construction began on Citroën’s flagship garage in Brussels, marketing the idea of imperial conquest as much as cars. The exhibition An infinite woman explores, in two parts, how the Mangbetu women f…
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“SOUKI na nga na miso na bango” in Lingala means “my hair in their gaze”. Mireille-Tsheusi Robert of Fémïyā has devised this critical tour of the exhibition, which she also leads. It explores the colonial gaze on African hair, from exoticisation and control to the appropriation of aesthetic norms. The tour also highlights historical forms of resistance and contemporary reappropriation by Black women.
Fémïya is a Brussels-based feminist organisation dedicated to encouraging reflection and action against racism towards Black women. Mireille-Tsheusi Robert, its founder and director, is a guide, lecturer and author who specialises in feminism, anti-racism and the decolonisation of cultural heritage, public spaces and museums.