Portrait of Géraldine Tobe ©Studio Vanssay. Photo courtesy of him AFIKARIS GalleryParis.

“I had to go beyond brushes and traditional painting. Smoke is unpredictable, creating forms that I cannot fully control and representing this connection between material and immaterial.” Geraldine DrumsHis words encapsulate her daring approach to art, where the elusive nature of smoke becomes a bridge between the physical and the spiritual. Her technique transcends conventional boundaries, allowing the unpredictable and ephemeral essence of smoke to mirror the deeper, intangible forces she seeks to explore through her work.

Born in KinshasaDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Tobe turned trauma into deeply personal expression, using smoke as both medium and metaphor. Accused of witchcraft as a child and subjected to a violent exorcism, Tobe channels personal suffering into powerful artworks that explore ancestral beliefs, colonial religion and the collective pain of Congolese women, interweaving spiritual and historical narratives.

Her technique of using oil lamp smoke is both symbolic and technically innovative. The ethereal forms of smoke embody a fragile balance between destruction and creation, representing trauma and memory in their fleeting presence. This approach has garnered praise for its emotional and symbolic depth.

Géraldine Tobe, “Vanité de vanité”, 2022. Smoke on canvas. 130 x 170 cm (51 x 67 inches). Photo courtesy of him AFIKARIS GalleryParis.

Tobe’s work attracted considerable attention during the time Dakar Biennale 2018. He has also been the subject of solo exhibitions in Brussels, Kinshasaand Madagascar. In September 2024, her first solo exhibition in France —“Dans la fumée” (“In Smoke”) — took place at AFIKARIS Gallery. Her latest work will be part of the upcoming exhibition “The teu The size of Africa” at Völklinger Hütte in Germany, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“Creating with fire might seem contradictory, but she had to destroy to recreate and find a unique way of making art,” says Michaëla Hadji-Minaglou, gallery manager and chief curator at AFIKARIS in Paris. “He didn’t listen to those who told him to stick to painting. This is why her art is unique: the result of her perseverance and selflessness.”

In an interview with Global VoicesTobe spoke about the therapeutic power of art, her experiences growing up in the Congo and how her unique technique allows her to explore themes of resilience, memory and healing.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Omid Memarian (OM): You have spoken about how your childhood, marked by accusations of witchcraft and violent exorcism, shaped you. How have these experiences influenced your path as an artist and how do they manifest in your work today?

Géraldine Tobe (GT): My childhood was indeed marked by painful moments. This trauma has become central to my journey as an artist and person as I push myself to turn that pain into strength. My art has become a means of resistance and healing. These experiences manifest in my work through a mystical and spiritual approach to suffering. Smoke allows me to express what words cannot, functioning as a form of therapy and openness. When we create, we share the expression of our soul.

Géraldine Tobe, ‘Vanité de vanité’, 2022. Smoke on canvas, 130 x 170 cm (51 x 67 in). Photo courtesy of him AFIKARIS GalleryParis.

OM: Can you share your perspective on the current Congolese art scene?

GT: The Congolese art scene is booming. There is a lot of creativity, with young artists questioning traditional stories and contemporary realities. International audiences should understand that Congolese artists do not limit themselves to depicting suffering or violence; they also explore themes of beauty, resilience and the complexity of identity. We have stories that go beyond clichés.

OM: There has been an increase in global exhibitions highlighting African artists. What is fueling this new interest in African art and how is it affecting common narratives?

GT: There is a growing awareness that African art has been underrepresented and undervalued for decades. Audiences and institutions now recognize the diversity and depth that African artists bring. This interest stems from the rediscovery of historical and contemporary narratives, with artists challenging colonial perspectives. This change is significant because it allows marginalized voices to express their history and worldview.

Exhibition view of Géraldine Tobe’s solo exhibition “Dans la fumée”, Galerie AFIKARIS, Paris. September 2024. Photo: Studio Vanssay, courtesy of AFIKARIS GalleryParis

OM: Your work explores ancestral beliefs, colonial religion and personal suffering. How do your experiences inform the themes and emotional power of your art?

GT: As a Congolese woman, I carry a collective memory marked by colonization alongside deep spiritual beliefs from my culture. My work is adorned with symbols such as scarification marks, which in ancestral society carried teachings and represented the divine. My work addresses suffering but also focuses on healing. It is a tribute to women’s resilience and ability to transform pain into strength. Ancestral beliefs inspire me to connect the past with the present, exploring the tensions between modernity and tradition.

OM: Do you find the process of creating art therapeutic?

GT: Absolutely. Making art is therapy for me. The use of smoke, which I started in 2012, embodies both ephemerality and eternity. Smoke represents destruction and healing. Each work is like a ritual, which allows me to come back and transform my traumas into something beautiful. This process helped me access emotions that I might not have understood without art.

OM: Your technique of painting with oil lamp smoke is unique. How did this concept come about and how do you approach it in terms of technique and symbolism?

GT: This technique came from my search for artistic freedom. I had to go beyond traditional painting. Smoke is unpredictable and represents a link between the material and the immaterial. It symbolizes both destruction and rebirth, a metaphor for life. Technically, it takes patience and precision to guide the smoke, leaving room for spontaneity. Symbolically, smoke embodies memory, spirits and purification, all central themes of my work.

Geraldine Drums. “Vanité de vanité”, 2022. Smoke on canvas 170 x 130 cm (67×51 in). Photo courtesy of him AFIKARIS GalleryParis.

OM: How was your work received in Kinshasa and Congo?

GT: Initially, my work caused a lot of discussion, especially because I explored sensitive topics like witchcraft, which is often taboo. Acceptance took time. However, exposure to the Kinshasa and Dakar Biennales opened up opportunities. My work arouses curiosity, primarily due to the originality of the technique. It is seen as challenging traditional norms and offering new perspectives on our past and future.

OM: How do you balance the message with making sure the art remains the focus?

GT: I consider myself a dedicated artist rather than an activist. I aim to provoke thought and dialogue while raising awareness. I believe that art should first and foremost be a visual and emotional experience. If a message is too explicit, it can lose its impact. Art should allow viewers to interpret it individually. That’s why I leave an element of ambiguity in my work. I want to convey powerful ideas, but I also want the viewer to find their own meaning.

Exhibition view of Géraldine Tobe’s solo exhibition “Dans la fumée”, Galerie AFIKARIS, Paris. September 2024. Photo: Studio Vanssay, courtesy of AFIKARIS GalleryParis

OM: What are you currently working on and how does this new body of work reflect your personal experiences or larger societal issues?

GT: I am currently in residence at Käte Hamburger Research Center at Saarland University in Germany, working on a project related to cultural practices of repair. This is in collaboration with the Völklingen Museum for the upcoming group exhibition “The true size of Africa.” My project pays tribute to the deceased workers of The Völklinger Hütte factory by reviving their memory through smoke. This project is deeply personal as it reflects themes of recognition and forgetting. Linking the history of the factory with that of the African people, I make connections between workers’ struggles and colonial suffering. The factory now symbolizes resilience and repair, themes that are dear to me.

OM: How does global current affairs influence your creative process?

GT: I’m very sensitive to what’s going on in the world—issues of injustice and suffering. Artists absorb what surrounds them, and global events inevitably influence my work. We live in a time of great political, ecological and social uncertainty. My work reflects these tensions, capturing the energy of the times while providing a space for reflection and resistance.

Géraldine Tobe, “Royaume des Damnés”, 2021. Smoke on canvas, 200 x 170 cm (79 x 67 in). Photo courtesy of him AFIKARIS GalleryParis.