A car wrapped in cobalt blue fabric, like a shroud reminiscent of the encased packaging of Congolese nkisi (voodoo doll), saturated with spiritual meaning and the weight of untold stories. The cobalt blue color symbolizes the mineral cobalt, an essential component of batteries for electric vehicles. Yet this vibrant color also reminds us of the suffering that the Congolese people have had to endure during the relentless pursuit of this raw material. The car, once a symbol of dreams and aspirations, now hangs in suspension, pointing upward toward the sky but forever grounded by the weight of its consequences.

A Heaven of My Own challenges viewers to confront the uncomfortable truths that lie beneath the surface of our modern world. It invites contemplation on the human and ecological toll of our insatiable hunger for progress and innovation and urges us to reconsider the true costs of our dreams. 

About Clinton Kabena
Clinton Kabena is a visual artist and designer, born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and raised in the Netherlands. His work primarily focuses on the transformative nature of travel, particularly reflecting on African migration, and the resilience of the individuals undertaking it. He explores the social networks that arise from these journeys and the profound impact they have on individuals, families, and communities. In his practice, vehicles are a central theme as they literally and figuratively carry the stories. They are the medium that connects the driver, the passenger, and the route, symbolizing the connections between mobility and the human desire for change.

The art program of Into The Great Wide Open is made possible with support from the Creative Industry Fund and The Strengthening.