Echoes of the Congo
An impactful image of a man in Congo dressed in a costume made of cigarettes appeared on my Instagram feed while scrolling on a Monday morning. After reading about Colin Delfosse’s work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I learned that this was just one of many images capturing a group of artists raising awareness about the challenges faced by the Congolese capital city. In an increasingly degraded environment, these artists question the proliferation of consumer goods and waste, recycling them into costumes. Gathered in a collective, they perform in the streets, condemning pressing societal issues such as lack of healthcare, pollution, deforestation, and overconsumption. By blending urban culture and performance, they initiate a thought-provoking dialogue with the city’s inhabitants.
Intrigued by his work, we reached out to Colin to learn more about this project and his broader journey as a photographer and journalist. It soon became clear that this is just one of many powerful projects he’s worked on, each capturing stories that often go unnoticed. Colin has dedicated much of his career to documentary photography, shedding light on global social issues. We discussed his ongoing relationship with the press, the evolution of his work, and the intersection of photography, journalism, and storytelling. From his freelance beginnings to his current role as a photo editor and teacher, Colin offers a unique perspective on the art of documenting untold stories.
"The cigarette man", Henock Kilomboshi, aka Pape Noir, Mpevé collective, Limete Kinshasa, DR Congo.
Amor Diaz: Who is Colin Delfosse?
Colin Delfosse: Tall (6.4’), stubborn photographer, journalist (a bit), petulant, photo editor (of Médor magazine), father, blond, photo teacher (at IHECS), Belgian, regular contributor (to the UNHCR), frequent traveller (in DR Congo).
AD: Tell us about your transition from journalism to photography.
CD: I didn't really start my career as a journalist. I studied it at university. Once I'd graduated, I started out as a freelance photojournalist, then gradually turned to documentary photography. But I still go back and forth, working regularly with the press (Belgian, French, and international) on photo commissions. I've recently turned to writing, and I'm doing more and more articles for the magazine Medor.coop, which I founded— an independent Belgian magazine about Belgium. Documentary photography reflects a point of view on the world. However, its claimed subjectivity and the need for the long term make it less interesting to me.
AD: How has your background in journalism shaped your approach to documentary photography?
CD: My studies led me to take an interest in every geopolitical subject right from the start of my career. I produced (and self-financed) my first photo reports in countries, or rather regions, such as Mali, Katanga (DRC) and Iraqi Kurdistan, which were (and still are) plagued by crises, social tensions, conflicts, and injustices that receive too little attention. My first assignment in Mali and DR Congo dealt with mining issues and the consequences for the people who work in these mines. Little by little, my way of taking images evolved, and I took a step back and started to work in medium format film. The turning point was undoubtedly the project on women PKK fighters in Kurdistan, whose portrait I took in 2009.
The PKK Amazons, Iraq 2009
AD: What is your creative process like? How do you start a new project?
CD: The way I choose my subjects has evolved over time. Initially, I chose a region, a country, in which I spent a fair amount of time before settling on a story to capture. In particular, I travelled a lot in Central Africa and then Central Asia, working on forgotten territories and cities secreted away during the Cold War. Today, unfortunately, I have less time to work in this way. So I go back more regularly to certain countries (including DR Congo) where, by dint of going there, I'm deepening my knowledge, my networks, and so I'm accumulating lots of ideas for subjects, which I'll deal with one day, when I have the time.
AD: You’ve worked with a variety of formats and techniques, from photojournalism to large-format portraiture. How do you decide which medium or technique to use for a given project?
CD: For more than a decade, I've been working on my personal subjects in silver medium format, which is my favourite tool. But I like to adapt the format to the story I'm telling. It's a very subjective process, depending on what I want to show.
AD: Can you describe a moment that has stood out in your career when you felt the power of a single photograph of yours communicating a larger message or truth?
CD: I like to think that it's not a single image that has power, but rather a series and a strong story. As we can see today, there are so many images being produced that it's hard for a single photo to change things or raise people's consciousness. A photo is interpreted according to its cultural and political context.
I do a lot of portraits in my series, and the encounters I've had are often quite interesting moments when you think about the impact the images could have.
When I was making these portraits of women PKK fighters, which I mentioned earlier, I took a portrait of Ginda, who herself worked as a photographer and videographer for the organisation. When we took her portrait, we were both aware of the visual power we were giving it. Both the softness of the light and the strength of the look and the uniform. And it didn't fail. This portrait was exhibited and published just about everywhere. Its message was ambivalent and could be interpreted differently, as it showed a woman fighting in a movement classed as ‘terrorist’, but fighting for her convictions and her survival. That was years ago. I haven't been able to go back, but I know that she left the PKK a long time ago now.
AD: Tell us about your upcoming projects? What do you have going for 2025?
CD: I've just arrived in Kinshasa, in DR Congo, for a new video documentary project. It follows on from a photo project on the question of restitution. I also have a project for an exhibition in Australia, where I intend to continue my series on the ecological impact of our electric transition, in the automotive sector in particular. I've already produced two chapters of this work in Chile and DR Congo (visible here:).
The Electrical Crush: Cobalt
AD: The “Congolese Performers” project is incredibly impactful in its engagement with both environmental and social issues. Could you tell us about how you first encountered these street artists in Kinshasa and what drew you to document their performances?
CD: The Congolese capital is a very dynamic city. I did different photo projects there along the years (check on my website). During a 2016 trip in Kinshasa, I met a performer called Congo Astronaut for another project (about the Congolese space program ). Three years later, I heard about a new performance festival. I was busy at that time and couldn’t attend the festival, but I went back (as I always do) and started to take portraits of the performers in their Neighbourhood.
It was interesting to see young artists tackling issues in their city through performance, and how the audience in the street reacted.
AD: Could you share with us one of the most impactful anecdotes you experienced while developing projects in Congo?
CD: Photographing in Kinshasa is not easy. When I went back last March, I followed a Perfomance festival organised by the Farata collective. They organised parades in the streets of Kinshasa. These streets are already pretty crowded in normal times. 15 performers were strolling between the cars and motorbikes. It was a pretty crazy time.
AD: Our current issue is about resilience. What comes to mind when you think of that word?
CD: My first reaction is that it's a very fashionable word! But in the case of DR Congo, the definition is not stolen. The Congolese people are extremely resilient. Perhaps the most resilient in the world. That's because they've been facing the worst difficulties for decades (repeated wars, pillage, epidemics - notably Ebola, climate disasters and, to cap it all, bad governance). But it still manages to live.
AD: What comes to mind when you hear this word in relation to your project in Congo?
CD: This project highlights those artists who, with nothing, with recycled waste, manage to create art, to talk about problems that really affect people. The statement behind their costumes is to condemn and inform about overconsumption and its side effects, namely pollution, poverty, lack of reliable investments in the country and so on. What they have to say is crucial, and that is why they put on these costumes and walk the streets of their neighborhoods, to raise awareness on those issues. By capturing these images, I’m only giving an echo to their work and what they have to say about their country and how it is managed. DR Congo’s people shouldn’t be the victim of globalization, having the natural resources taken away, enriching the leaders of the country and international mining companies, with absolutely no benefits to the population which only suffers from this resourceful land. Talking about those important topics without showing pictures of poverty or war in DR Congo was one of my main goals.
AD: What advice would you give to young photographers looking to make an impact through documentary work
CD: A Good story. A Good story. A Good story.
AD: Who or what has been your greatest influence as a photojournalist? Are there specific photographers or mentors who’ve shaped your style and approach?
CD: There are many to choose from, including historical figures such as Diane Arbus and Sander, Belgians such as Karl de Keyzer, Africans such as Pieter Hugo, Russians such as Winongrant, Americans such as Alec Soth and Garry Winogrand and directors such as Werner Herzog.
AD: Can you share a bit about your life in Brussels? What are some of your favorite spots—whether it's restaurants, coffee shops, galleries, or hidden gems? How do these places or the city's atmosphere inspire your work and creativity?
CD: Brussels is a great - and rainy - city with lots of people from different backgrounds, lots of artists and photographers in neighbourhoods with very different backgrounds too. I'm in the south of the city, in Forest, which, as its name suggests, is very green. If you come to this area, I'll be delighted to give you all the good addresses!