The Congo Panorama 1913

Colonial illusion exposed

The exhibition is a critical examination of colonial propaganda and the realities it concealed.

At its heart is the Congo Panorama, a monumental painting from 1913 that presented an idealised picture of Belgian colonial ‘civilisation’. The exhibition deconstructs this instrument of propaganda using a scale reproduction of the painting (scale 1/9; the original painting is 115 m long and 14m high). The idyllic portrayal of the colony on canvas hid the violence, exploitation and resistance taking place behind the scenes – fake news avant la lettre. 

Together with artists, experts, and researchers, the exhibition juxtaposes colonial imagery with historical and contemporary voices, stories, and insights that long remained silent.

What does an image show or hide? Which voices are muzzled or heard? By inviting you to take a closer look, the exhibition opens a broader conversation about propaganda, colonisation, and the long shadow it casts.