Beyond images of war: Sammy Baloji’s work captures DR Congo’s vibrant arts and culture, challenging Western views
THE Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is all too often associated with violent conflict, at the expense of its positive aspects. Reports on this huge country, the second largest in Africa after Algeria, and nearly twice the size of South Africa, tend to overlook its intellectual and artistic vibrancy. My research has focused on this part of the continent. This article is based on two recent contributions in which I examine the DRC’s cultural richness and explore the role and place of mineral extraction in its literature and art. The contribution of the DRC to Africa’s culture is immense. In…
