At the end of May, the Giser House will be transformed into an art residence for one week, where Congolese artist Hugo Kabeya will create. The residency will take place as part of the European Capital of Culture GO! 2025 and in collaboration with the IoDeposito organization from Italy, the University of Nova Gorica, and the Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Centre.
Hugo Kabeya is a young Congolese artist currently living and working in Cape Town, South Africa. He spent his childhood in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is unfortunately known for the exploitation of children in cobalt mines. In his work, he explores themes of post-colonialism, mining and mineral exploitation, and relates to the displacement experienced by African nations due to conflict.
The artist will build bridges between Idrija and Congo
His artistic practice is currently focused on experimenting with materials. Using cobalt blue pigments, he confronts his own past, marked by conflicts in the Congo. During his stay, the artist will also focus on the collective memory and historical heritage of Idrija. The topic of mining connects his homeland, Congo, and the town of Idrija, known for its 500-year-old legacy of mercury mining.
The artist-in-residence program will take place from Friday, May 23, to Friday, May 30. At this time, the artist Hugo Kabeya wants to learn about the stories and heritage of Idrija and incorporate them into his work. For this purpose, we are also organizing a special community event that will take place on Monday, May 26th, at 6:00 PM at Hiša Giser. The artist will present his artistic residency and his work so far, and this will also be an opportunity to tell stories related to the heritage of Idrija and mining.
The artist residency will conclude at Topilnica Hg, where a presentation of the artworks created during the residency will take place on Thursday, May 29, at 6:00 PM. The exhibition will be located in the former cinnabar ore sorting facility, highlighting the theme of mining that connects the artist with Idrija. At the same time, the event and the exhibition itself will be an opportunity to build bridges between Idrija and African art and culture.
The artist residency is part of the Peripheral visions project, which focuses on the relationship between industrial and military history that has shaped the identity of the Italian-Slovenian border region. We would also like to thank the Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Centre for their help in organising the residency.
The PV project is funded by the European Union from the Small Projects Fund GO! 2025 of the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia 2021-2027 Program, which is managed by the EGTC GO / www.ita-slo.eu / www.euro-go.eu/spf
Il progetto PV è finanziato dall’Unione europea nell’ambito del Fondo per piccoli progetti GO! 2025 del Programma Interreg VI-A Italia-Slovenia 2021-2027, gestito dal GECT GO
