Serge Diakota Mabilama started his career as a student in Kinshasa. Coming from a family of academics, he at first sought to study medicine and become a doctor. His teacher, a former student of the Academie de Beaux Art de Kinshasa, encouraged him to pursue a career in the arts. Taking this advice, Serge Diakota Mabilama pursued a career in Interior Design in 2006 in Kinshasa. This initial step in his artistic career evidently influenced his style which often exhibits his architectural skills.
Serge Diakota Mabilama’s practice took a more interdisciplinary turn when he came across the book Antiphilosophy, which discusses Marcel Duchamp’s ready-mades and “anti-art” approach. Diakota does not have any “borders” with the medium he chooses- this is demonstrated as an intrinsic part of his vision as an artist.
Politics is a recurrent theme in the artist’s practice. In Eloge du Pouvoir (2019), Diakota reflects on the history of Congo, from The Congo Free State to the now Democratic Republic of Congo. The series of work was created as part of the Young Congo Biennale’s “Transition” exhibition, which highlighted the works of 40 artists from Congo working with various mediums. Transition sought to engage artists to rethink the political state of the country, from its leaders to its culture.
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