Selected from an open call among artists previously supported through the Gwaertler Grant, Villa Romana and the Gwaertler Stiftung are pleased to announce Nelson Makengo as the recipient of the Gwaertler x Villa Romana Residency.
Based in Kinshasa, Makengo is a visual artist and filmmaker whose practice navigates the intersection of contemporary art and experimental documentary. He is currently developing his project Vieux Kilo and is representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026.
The four-week residency takes place in July 2026 within the international artist community at Villa Romana – an institution located in Florence and founded in 1905 as a space for artistic autonomy, experimentation, and exchange.
