From November 4, 2025, to January 27, 2026, Congolese photographer Nathan Bushiru participated in the Jeune Photographie Africaine residency, a program developed in partnership between the Gervanne + Matthias Leridon Collection, the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP), and the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. This initiative aims to support and accompany young African talents in the development of their artistic practices by offering them privileged access to European resources and networks.
©Nathan Bushiru
Development of the Rudi project
During his residency, Nathan worked on his Rudi project: combining research and photography, he offers a critical and contemporary interpretation of the colonial archives of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This project aims to enable the artist to reconstruct visual archives by giving contemporary photographs the appearance of old images, in particular through various image processing techniques. By borrowing the aesthetics of historical archival photographs and applying them to images taken today, Nathan seeks to rethink and rewrite certain narratives of the history of the Democratic Republic of Congo, while questioning the violence, and sometimes the absence, of existing historical archives. During his stay in Paris, he was able to access the archives of major European museums in France and Belgium, which nourished his work and enriched his artistic approach. This experience allowed him to reflect on the history of his country, refine his technique, and strengthen his uniqueness as an artist.
Nathan Bushiru in his studio at the Cité Internationale des Arts during an interview.
Exhibitions and events
Nathan’s residency was marked by several highlights: he was the guest of honor at the Salon des Beaux-Arts in Paris, becoming the first artist of sub-Saharan origin to be represented there and winning the “Rêverie” prize. He also presented his work at a conference at the MEP, in front of a knowledgeable audience, and then at his open studio at the Cité Internationale des Arts, where visitors were able to discover his works and talk directly with the artist.
Alongside these events, Nathan participated in international conferences, notably at Hasselt University in Belgium and the Congo Research Network PhD Day 2026 at UCLouvain, to present his projects, including “The DRC’s Cobalt,” a collective work published in 2025, and to share his research on the historical and contemporary situation in the DRC.
Nathan Bushiru at the Belgian University of Leuven during the Congo Research Network PhD Day 2026 event.
Partnerships and professional encounters
During this residency, Nathan was able to forge lasting ties with major European institutions such as the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac and the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, as well as with artists, curators, and professionals from the European art world. These exchanges enriched his practice, consolidated his network, and opened up new perspectives for his future projects.
Fort de ces expériences, Nathan repart de Paris avec une vision enrichie et des outils solides pour poursuivre ses projets à son retour en République Démocratique du Congo. Cette résidence illustre pleinement l’engagement de la Collection Gervanne + Matthias Leridon pour accompagner, soutenir et valoriser les jeunes talents africains, en favorisant la création, la recherche et la diffusion de leurs œuvres à l’international.
Nous suivrons avec attention la suite de son parcours et partagerons ses prochaines étapes artistiques.
©Nathan Bushiru
The Gervanne + Matthias Leridon Collection would like to thank the Maison Européenne de la Photographie and the Cité Internationale des Arts, as well as all the institutions and professionals who contributed to the success of this residency. We also salute the commitment and rigor of Nathan Bushiru, whose work and reflection fully embodied the spirit of this program.