The medium of comics is widespread and very popular in large parts of Congolese society and in its multifaceted diversity, it combines various strategies of expression in the visual arts. In this digital project, the International Comic Salon Erlangen would like to present the variety of Congolese comics by means of individual contributions to particular phenomena and perspectives created in experimental and decolonial collaboration of the participating artists and curators from Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, the Congolese diaspora and Erlangen.
- Al'Mata
- Comics
Visual Narrative: A Graphic Novel by Al’Mata and Christophe Edimo
This graphic novel reflects different facets of emigration. In their series “Le retour d’Alphonse Madiba dit Daudet” (The return of Alphonse Madiba, called Daudet) Al’Mata and Christophe Edimo invent an imaginary country that stands for a representative experience.
- Mukenge/Schellhammer
- Comics
I am an expert
The comic artist Birgit Weyhe was in Kinshasa for four days – and is surprised to therefore be considered an expert on the Congolese comic scene. Through her work in various African countries, she had to deal with her privileges, her skin color and her own origins above all.
- Rocky Production
- Discourse
In defense of the popular image
“Poor images” are squeezed, compressed, reproduced, ripped, remixed, and copied through slow digital connections. Just as life and art thus merge, so the boundaries between author and audience become blurred. Based on Hito Steyerl’s thesis of “poor images”, curator and writer Olivia Berkowicz analyses how popular images challenge the boundaries of Western cultural narratives.
- Thembo Kash
- Jean Kamba
- Comics
- Discourse
The political scene in the Congo and the caricatures of Thembo Kash
Thembo Kash, one of the most prominent press cartoonists in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has a clear preference for political issues. He publishes drawings in several Congolese and foreign newspapers and is currently particularly active at the online newspaper “actualite.cd”, where his caricatures are published almost daily. Written by Jean Kamba.