Congo as Fiction
Art Worlds between Past and Present
Buch in deiner Nähe kaufen
Beschreibung
Congolese artists reflecting upon globalized trade, colonialism, proselytization, and virtual boundaries
A single Congo does not exist—or is in any case fictitious. Yet the Democratic Republic of Congo has an extraordinarily vibrant art scene that attracts great interest from around the world. Nowhere else in Africa art production is as manifold in form, media, and materials used. For many years, Congolese artists have been exploring and reflecting upon the effects of globalized trade, colonialism, proselytization, and virtual boundaries.
For the first time, this book, published in conjunction with an exhibition at Zurich’s Museum Rietberg, features art works and photographs collected by German anthropologist Hans Himmelheber during his journey to the Congo in 1938–39. They bear witness of the period’s extraordinary creativity and innovativeness as well as of the collector’s own idea of Congo. They are juxtaposed with works by contemporary Congolese artists and complemented by essays that investigate the fiction of Congo both as an African and Western World imagination. Thus, the book links the past with the utopia of contemporary artistic production in central Africa.
- Englische Ausgabe von Fiktion Kongo. Kunstwelten in Geschichte und Gegenwart (ISBN 978-3-85881-643-6)
- Congo’s vibrant art scene attracts great interest worldwide
- Investigates how Congolese artists have been exploring and reflecting upon the effects of globalized trade, colonialism, proselytization, and virtual boundaries
- Features many previously unpublished works by Congolese artists both contemporary and from the 19th and early 20th centuries
Autor*in
Nanina Guyer
Themen in »Congo as Fiction«
Art Congo Kongo Kunst Ethnology Ethnologie African art Art history Gegenwartskunst Kunstgeschichte Contemporary art Cultural history Hans Himmelheber Kulturgeschichte Non-European art
Stimmen zu »Congo as Fiction«
“The volume shows how Western museums can deal offensively with objects from overseas that are part of their exhibitions. It exemplarily made clear how this can be done critically, self-critically, and yet productively.” Ulrich van der Heyden, journal of Art History
“Fiction Congo establishes a dialogue between past and present without running the risk that the European, postcolonial view dominates. An extremely worth reading volume, which with its broad range of topics provides a comprehensive insight into the past and present Congo as well as its art and culture.” Celina Berchtold, journal of Art History
()