Éther Féminin:
Révélations des Foréts Sacrées
Armel Luyzo Mboumba

Armel Mboumba’s series, Éther Féminin: Revelations of the Sacred Forests, explores the spiritual and cultural significance of sacred forests in local communities. Through 15 digital photographs, Mboumba highlights these forests as spaces where nature, spirituality, and tradition intersect. Revered as sanctuaries for ancestral and divine spirits, these forests influence everything from sustainable practices to social roles. Mboumba’s work emphasises the role of women as guardians of this heritage, preserving traditional knowledge and spiritual practices. Using techniques like superimposition and staging, her images capture the guardians-both human and mythicalwho protect and sustain these sacred spaces, illuminating the deep connection between femininity, culture, and nature.

In the feminine ether of sacred forests,
The essence of life reveals itself, preserved.
Between the branches, secret murmurs,
Emerge the guardians, in their serenity.
Each image, a burst of truth,
Capturing the magic of these preserved places.
Where the unseen meets the visible,
In an eternal, subtle dance.
Feminine ether, divine revelation,
Of forests that shelter our roots.
In every snapshot, a mystery revealed,
In the harmony of preserved nature.

- Armel Luyzo Mboumba

Armel Luyzo Mboumba

Congo

Armel Luyzo Mboumba (b.1991) is a self-taught Congolese photographer who captures the daily life and traditions of her country. She discovered photography at the age of nine after the loss of her father, when her mother gave her a semi-professional analogue camera, sparking a deep passion that has only grown over the years.

But for Armel, photography is more than a passion; it is a vital necessity, driven by the rich culture and vibrant environment of Congo. Though she pursued a degree in Accounting and Financial Management Audit from the École Africaine de Développement du Congo - Brazzaville in 2012, her heart remained with photography, and she honed her skills by joining the Génération Elili collective led by Baudouin Mouanda.

Armel’s photography has been exhibited nationally and internationally, notably at the Kokut Art Festival and International Workshops, and she has collaborated on the Projet Combo, a tri - national photo exhibition presented in France, Germany, and Belgium. In April 2024, she participated in the artistic residency, Forêt Équatoriale, Forêt Habitée, in Gabon, a natural setting that fostered creativity among female artists. In July 2024, she also contributed to the “4x4” project in Yaoundé, Cameroon, as part of a collective exhibition that featured artists from four Central African countries.

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