We welcome everybody to the release event for the Kinzonzi Kinshasa-Berlin catalogue. The artistic directors and many of the artists and researchers will be present or streamed live. With a Kinzonzi-discussion, screening, presentations and excerpts from the radio show we will review, reflect and celebrate the common project but also critically discuss the ongoing imbalances of power and access of artists from the DR Congo and other African countries to the art world.
About the project:
The “Kinzonzi” of Laboratoire Kontempo 2021/22 brought together artists, researchers and theorists from Kinshasa, Berlin and other places in an analog and digital transdisciplinary experimental space in order to question the structures of postcolonial power and dominant trends in contemporary international art scenes. The catalogue documents the three exhibitions and features all artists and commissioned art works from Kinshasa and Berlin.
Program:
Kinzonzi: power imbalances between Europe and Africa and the systems of cultural funding
In Kikongo “Kinzonzi,” is referring to a meeting incorporating codified customary and traditional practices. This procedure, commonly called the African palaver, is a valuable tool for carrying out negotiations within the family or the society whether in Congo or in Africa in general.
In tonight's Kinzonzi we will discuss power imbalances between European cultural institutions and fundings systems in relation to African artists and organisers.
Kinshasa La Belle
Based on the film program curated for the Kinzonzi project, Cornelia & Holger Lund (fluctuating images) present their collaborative developments in music and video. Last year's record "Mokili Na Poche" by Lova Lova and the Streetkids of Atelier Kamikazi, released together with Seismographic Records, is followed this year by "GangstaF*ckinB*tch" by Lunatic Beudo, also realized with Streetkids. The latter have developed new artistic and musical energy with the help of Cedrick Tshimbalanga, an energy, which they incorporate in their future hit "Kinshasa La Belle". Music videos and a preview of upcoming releases will be shown.
The visual language of Kinzonzi
-presentation by Elsa Westreicher
As a space for practice and theory, in which counter-narratives to the canon of contemporary art emerge and where post- and neocolonial realities can implode, Laboratoire Kontempo poses many questions to the practice called graphic design and its roots in colonial and capitalist power dynamics. Would it be possible to somehow parallel and potentially deepen the ideas that are behind the fact of replacing the “c” of contemporary with the “k” of “kontempo” – and give it a visual language?
Radio Kinzonzi
excerpts from the Radio show by Orakle Ngoy, Jasmina Al-Qaisi and Ralf Wendt
The catalogue contains artworks and contributions by following artists and researchers:
Sinzo Aanza
Sammy Baloji
Miguel Buenrostro
Billy Ngalamulume alias Kill Bill
Dedhel Bulamatadi Kisinga
Jérôme Chazeix
Gabriella Torres-Ferrer
Koko Kabamba Byamungu
Luiza Prado
Mukenge/Schellhammer
Paulvi Ngimbi
Prisca Tankwey
Guelord Vulu Vangu
Rachel Nyangombe
Raul Walch
Elsa Westreicher
Jean Kamba
Dorine Mokha (Hommage)
Cornelia & Holger Lund (fluctuating images)
Jasmina Al-Qaisi & Ralf Wendt & Orakle Ngoy
“Kinzonzi” is a project by Laboratoire Kontempo and ACUD Macht Neu Berlin.
It is funded by the TURN2 Fund of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation) and by the Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
The executing agency of the project in Kinshasa is Option ONGD.
Further project partners are: Goethe-Institut Kinshasa, Plateforme Contemporaine, Akademie Schloss Solitude, Rawbank Kinshasa, Bracongo, Institut-Français Kinshasa, Académie des Beaux-Arts de Kinshasa, Planète culturelle Esi Esimbi, Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg, Haus der Statistik, Hopscotch Reading Room & Sinema Transtopia