Light installation / 33 projectors and iron 1st Edition Young Congo Biennale / 2019
Ba Moyi Ya Afrika
BA MOYI YA AFRIKA (SUNS OF AFRIKA)
In the case with Ba Moyi Ya Afrika, the artist becomes infatuated with a fundamental question linked to the African continent.1 Land of which he is a part but which was until then completely unknown to him. From this ignorance and the visceral feeling that negative clichés about Africa are decoys, there emerges an explosion of light. It was during the 2019 Young Congo Biennale that Amine El Gotaibi, traveling for the first time to sub-Saharan Africa, let himself be carried away by the flow and energy of the place and that he proposed this monumental installation.
To give substance to the metaphor on which he works, namely the multitude of suns, El Gotaibi has installed thirty-three projectors which complement each other, constituting a circle similar to the sun and give off a blinding light, impossible to see in front. This represents bright full sun. I think thirty-three spotlights is the number it takes to make a solar circle in the exhibit space. In one of the two sides of the suns is written in linguala, the local language, Ba Moyi Ya Afrika which means "Suns of Africa", and on the other side the translation of this title in Arabic, French and English. Linguistic diversity carries meaning in the work, it relates to the integration of cultures, and to their constitutive roots of this continent.
In addition, the suns formed in a circle represent "synergy, non-disparity, indivision". This work digs deeper into analysis in search of deep meanings of complementarity and harmony that art as a futuristic vision can create. Doesn't the sun refer to life, creation and fertility (the word CHEMS in Arabic is feminine unlike many languages)? This is why it is the symbol of the strongest and most efficient energy, without it nothing grows or evolves: It is the vital light. We will also remember that it is an ambivalent symbol, it refers to blindness, fire, cremation and drought... It is a question of listening to the call of Africa in order to thwart the dark night which threatens this continent, otherwise it will be lost once more in the deserts, without any hope of return.
read more
BA MOYI YA AFRIKA (SUNS OF AFRIKA)
In the case with Ba Moyi Ya Afrika, the artist becomes infatuated with a fundamental question linked to the African continent.1 Land of which he is a part but which was until then completely unknown to him. From this ignorance and the visceral feeling that negative clichés about Africa are decoys, there emerges an explosion of light. It was during the 2019 Young Congo Biennale that Amine El Gotaibi, traveling for the first time to sub-Saharan Africa, let himself be carried away by the flow and energy of the place and that he proposed this monumental installation.
To give substance to the metaphor on which he works, namely the multitude of suns, El Gotaibi has installed thirty-three projectors which complement each other, constituting a circle similar to the sun and give off a blinding light, impossible to see in front. This represents bright full sun. I think thirty-three spotlights is the number it takes to make a solar circle in the exhibit space. In one of the two sides of the suns is written in linguala, the local language, Ba Moyi Ya Afrika which means "Suns of Africa", and on the other side the translation of this title in Arabic, French and English. Linguistic diversity carries meaning in the work, it relates to the integration of cultures, and to their constitutive roots of this continent.
In addition, the suns formed in a circle represent "synergy, non-disparity, indivision". This work digs deeper into analysis in search of deep meanings of complementarity and harmony that art as a futuristic vision can create. Doesn't the sun refer to life, creation and fertility (the word CHEMS in Arabic is feminine unlike many languages)? This is why it is the symbol of the strongest and most efficient energy, without it nothing grows or evolves: It is the vital light. We will also remember that it is an ambivalent symbol, it refers to blindness, fire, cremation and drought... It is a question of listening to the call of Africa in order to thwart the dark night which threatens this continent, otherwise it will be lost once more in the deserts, without any hope of return.
read more
BA MOYI YA AFRIKA (SUNS OF AFRIKA)
In the case with Ba Moyi Ya Afrika, the artist becomes infatuated with a fundamental question linked to the African continent.1 Land of which he is a part but which was until then completely unknown to him. From this ignorance and the visceral feeling that negative clichés about Africa are decoys, there emerges an explosion of light. It was during the 2019 Young Congo Biennale that Amine El Gotaibi, traveling for the first time to sub-Saharan Africa, let himself be carried away by the flow and energy of the place and that he proposed this monumental installation.
To give substance to the metaphor on which he works, namely the multitude of suns, El Gotaibi has installed thirty-three projectors which complement each other, constituting a circle similar to the sun and give off a blinding light, impossible to see in front. This represents bright full sun. I think thirty-three spotlights is the number it takes to make a solar circle in the exhibit space. In one of the two sides of the suns is written in linguala, the local language, Ba Moyi Ya Afrika which means "Suns of Africa", and on the other side the translation of this title in Arabic, French and English. Linguistic diversity carries meaning in the work, it relates to the integration of cultures, and to their constitutive roots of this continent.
In addition, the suns formed in a circle represent "synergy, non-disparity, indivision". This work digs deeper into analysis in search of deep meanings of complementarity and harmony that art as a futuristic vision can create. Doesn't the sun refer to life, creation and fertility (the word CHEMS in Arabic is feminine unlike many languages)? This is why it is the symbol of the strongest and most efficient energy, without it nothing grows or evolves: It is the vital light. We will also remember that it is an ambivalent symbol, it refers to blindness, fire, cremation and drought... It is a question of listening to the call of Africa in order to thwart the dark night which threatens this continent, otherwise it will be lost once more in the deserts, without any hope of return.
read more
Realization Process, 1st Edition Young Congo Biennale / 2019
MULTITUDE OF SUNS
The ancient name of the continent is Alkebulan. The word Alkebulan is the oldest and the only word of indigenous origin, Alkebulan meaning the "garden of Eden" or the "mother of mankind." The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a burgeoning megalopolis, the second largest and third most populous country on the continent with its people representing over 200 ethnic groups, and nearly 250 languages and dialects spoken throughout the country.
In the 1880s, racist ideas of explorers and missionaries about African people were conjured by Europeans expecting to find mysteries and savagery in the darkness of the interior. The explorer Henry M. Stanley used the term in his 1878 book, Through the Dark Continent. The setting for the narrated voyage in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is the Congo River in the Congo Free State. Satellite imagery of the African continent at night demonstrates the paucity of electricity on the continent, literally rending it dark. Even when the term is used to describe dense tree canopy impenetrable to sunshine, it remains topographically inaccurate because only twenty per cent of the land is forested.
The period of colonial rule transformed Congo into a concept and not merely a place. It was equated with the terrors of imperialism and became synonymous with and symbolic of Africa. The country is characterized by staggering wealth, rampant violence, and abject poverty. It has one of the highest incidences of poverty in the world because the country is torn asunder through ethnic conflicts from apposing countries and civil war within its borders. (continue)
read more
MULTITUDE OF SUNS
The ancient name of the continent is Alkebulan. The word Alkebulan is the oldest and the only word of indigenous origin, Alkebulan meaning the "garden of Eden" or the "mother of mankind." The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a burgeoning megalopolis, the second largest and third most populous country on the continent with its people representing over 200 ethnic groups, and nearly 250 languages and dialects spoken throughout the country.
In the 1880s, racist ideas of explorers and missionaries about African people were conjured by Europeans expecting to find mysteries and savagery in the darkness of the interior. The explorer Henry M. Stanley used the term in his 1878 book, Through the Dark Continent. The setting for the narrated voyage in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is the Congo River in the Congo Free State. Satellite imagery of the African continent at night demonstrates the paucity of electricity on the continent, literally rending it dark. Even when the term is used to describe dense tree canopy impenetrable to sunshine, it remains topographically inaccurate because only twenty per cent of the land is forested.
The period of colonial rule transformed Congo into a concept and not merely a place. It was equated with the terrors of imperialism and became synonymous with and symbolic of Africa. The country is characterized by staggering wealth, rampant violence, and abject poverty. It has one of the highest incidences of poverty in the world because the country is torn asunder through ethnic conflicts from apposing countries and civil war within its borders. (continue)
read more
MULTITUDE OF SUNS
The ancient name of the continent is Alkebulan. The word Alkebulan is the oldest and the only word of indigenous origin, Alkebulan meaning the "garden of Eden" or the "mother of mankind." The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a burgeoning megalopolis, the second largest and third most populous country on the continent with its people representing over 200 ethnic groups, and nearly 250 languages and dialects spoken throughout the country.
In the 1880s, racist ideas of explorers and missionaries about African people were conjured by Europeans expecting to find mysteries and savagery in the darkness of the interior. The explorer Henry M. Stanley used the term in his 1878 book, Through the Dark Continent. The setting for the narrated voyage in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is the Congo River in the Congo Free State. Satellite imagery of the African continent at night demonstrates the paucity of electricity on the continent, literally rending it dark. Even when the term is used to describe dense tree canopy impenetrable to sunshine, it remains topographically inaccurate because only twenty per cent of the land is forested.
The period of colonial rule transformed Congo into a concept and not merely a place. It was equated with the terrors of imperialism and became synonymous with and symbolic of Africa. The country is characterized by staggering wealth, rampant violence, and abject poverty. It has one of the highest incidences of poverty in the world because the country is torn asunder through ethnic conflicts from apposing countries and civil war within its borders. (continue)
read more
Light Installation / 33 projectors and iron, 1st Edition Young Congo Biennale / 2019
AMBIVALENT SYMBOL
The Congo encompasses a million square miles of the richest land in Africa with natural resources including diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, tin ore, timber, oil, lithium, tungsten and is blessed with a youthful culture. The country provides 80% of the world’s columbite tantalite, commonly called coltan, used in mobile phones, laptops, and other electronic devices.1 The mineral reserves of DRC are approximated at $24tn DRC is hobbled by political corruption and instability, compounded by corporate greed, commercial plundering and colonial oppression.2 Under the cover of humanitarian actions, the real agenda of nefarious organizations is to plunder the resource wealth of Africa, broadcasting negative images of poverty, famine, forced migration, and rampant disease. "They steal, then return appearing as saviors," remarks the artist.Upon entering the vast warehouse space of the Young Congo Biennale, one’s attention is drawn to the far end of the space where the brilliance of the large inclined array of thirty-three lights both draws and repels one’s gaze, and depending on one’s perspective, paradoxically both banishes and creates shadows. The Moroccan artist Amine El Gotaibi rejects the dark history myth of Africa with this stunning installation, Ba Moyi Ya Afrika that translates to "Suns of Africa" in Lingala, the Bantu language that is the lingua franca used by 40 million individuals in Africa.3 Importantly, the messaging of the work in Lingala provides value, accessibility, a sense of ownership and confidence for Africans. Translations in other languages flank the sculpture.The artist states, "I want to tell Africans and the whole world that Africa doesn’t have just one sun, it has many suns... I want to claim this plural wealth for Africa. I want to unveil the global propaganda and expose the stealing of all the wealth of Africa by industry from all over the world."
read more
AMBIVALENT SYMBOL
The Congo encompasses a million square miles of the richest land in Africa with natural resources including diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, tin ore, timber, oil, lithium, tungsten and is blessed with a youthful culture. The country provides 80% of the world’s columbite tantalite, commonly called coltan, used in mobile phones, laptops, and other electronic devices.1 The mineral reserves of DRC are approximated at $24tn DRC is hobbled by political corruption and instability, compounded by corporate greed, commercial plundering and colonial oppression.2 Under the cover of humanitarian actions, the real agenda of nefarious organizations is to plunder the resource wealth of Africa, broadcasting negative images of poverty, famine, forced migration, and rampant disease. "They steal, then return appearing as saviors," remarks the artist.Upon entering the vast warehouse space of the Young Congo Biennale, one’s attention is drawn to the far end of the space where the brilliance of the large inclined array of thirty-three lights both draws and repels one’s gaze, and depending on one’s perspective, paradoxically both banishes and creates shadows. The Moroccan artist Amine El Gotaibi rejects the dark history myth of Africa with this stunning installation, Ba Moyi Ya Afrika that translates to "Suns of Africa" in Lingala, the Bantu language that is the lingua franca used by 40 million individuals in Africa.3 Importantly, the messaging of the work in Lingala provides value, accessibility, a sense of ownership and confidence for Africans. Translations in other languages flank the sculpture.The artist states, "I want to tell Africans and the whole world that Africa doesn’t have just one sun, it has many suns... I want to claim this plural wealth for Africa. I want to unveil the global propaganda and expose the stealing of all the wealth of Africa by industry from all over the world."
read more
AMBIVALENT SYMBOL
The Congo encompasses a million square miles of the richest land in Africa with natural resources including diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, tin ore, timber, oil, lithium, tungsten and is blessed with a youthful culture. The country provides 80% of the world’s columbite tantalite, commonly called coltan, used in mobile phones, laptops, and other electronic devices.1 The mineral reserves of DRC are approximated at $24tn DRC is hobbled by political corruption and instability, compounded by corporate greed, commercial plundering and colonial oppression.2 Under the cover of humanitarian actions, the real agenda of nefarious organizations is to plunder the resource wealth of Africa, broadcasting negative images of poverty, famine, forced migration, and rampant disease. "They steal, then return appearing as saviors," remarks the artist.Upon entering the vast warehouse space of the Young Congo Biennale, one’s attention is drawn to the far end of the space where the brilliance of the large inclined array of thirty-three lights both draws and repels one’s gaze, and depending on one’s perspective, paradoxically both banishes and creates shadows. The Moroccan artist Amine El Gotaibi rejects the dark history myth of Africa with this stunning installation, Ba Moyi Ya Afrika that translates to "Suns of Africa" in Lingala, the Bantu language that is the lingua franca used by 40 million individuals in Africa.3 Importantly, the messaging of the work in Lingala provides value, accessibility, a sense of ownership and confidence for Africans. Translations in other languages flank the sculpture.The artist states, "I want to tell Africans and the whole world that Africa doesn’t have just one sun, it has many suns... I want to claim this plural wealth for Africa. I want to unveil the global propaganda and expose the stealing of all the wealth of Africa by industry from all over the world."
read more
Realization Process / 2019
CASH COWS AND CORRUPTION
Initially, the number of lights was meant to be up to a hundred to create an impressive array of brilliance much higher than the thirty-three lights in the final installation. A stroke of misfortune resulted in lost funds, and when the pockets of the two individuals purchasing the lights were emptied, there was only enough money for thirty-three lights. Serendipitously, it was the perfect number to form a circle.
African countries remain cash cows for western governments and corporations. More wealth is pillaged from Africa each year than enters it in the amount of $40bn, done directly through multinational kleptocrats repatriating profits and moving money illegally into tax havens. Offshore registered companies bleed African countries dry through tax evasion and tactics like transfer pricing. Minimal reporting requirements and understaffed and poorly resourced revenue authorities further hobble the tracking of monies through the maze of shell companies, holding companies, and offshore entities used by investors. The specter of colonial plundering persists as the presence and power of mining and oil firms, and in the new guises of extractive industries, illegal logging and fishing. The thieving includes the "tribal art" market, whose consequences result in enormous losses of Africa’s cultural heritages.
The glaring light of exposure and mandates of transparency are essential in slowing and halting the hemorrhaging of money. Some countries have begun to fight corruption by disclosing mining contracts for public scrutiny. The government needs to convert the country’s resource wealth into the human capital and investments in infrastructure on which sustained and inclusive growth depend whilst combating endemic corruption at the same time.
The dream result would be equality, better health care, education and agricultural systems, actualizing Gotaibi’s visual metaphor of banishing the darkness with Ba Moyi Ya Afrika, Suns of Africa.
Kōan Jeff Baysa
read more
CASH COWS AND CORRUPTION
Initially, the number of lights was meant to be up to a hundred to create an impressive array of brilliance much higher than the thirty-three lights in the final installation. A stroke of misfortune resulted in lost funds, and when the pockets of the two individuals purchasing the lights were emptied, there was only enough money for thirty-three lights. Serendipitously, it was the perfect number to form a circle.
African countries remain cash cows for western governments and corporations. More wealth is pillaged from Africa each year than enters it in the amount of $40bn, done directly through multinational kleptocrats repatriating profits and moving money illegally into tax havens. Offshore registered companies bleed African countries dry through tax evasion and tactics like transfer pricing. Minimal reporting requirements and understaffed and poorly resourced revenue authorities further hobble the tracking of monies through the maze of shell companies, holding companies, and offshore entities used by investors. The specter of colonial plundering persists as the presence and power of mining and oil firms, and in the new guises of extractive industries, illegal logging and fishing. The thieving includes the "tribal art" market, whose consequences result in enormous losses of Africa’s cultural heritages.
The glaring light of exposure and mandates of transparency are essential in slowing and halting the hemorrhaging of money. Some countries have begun to fight corruption by disclosing mining contracts for public scrutiny. The government needs to convert the country’s resource wealth into the human capital and investments in infrastructure on which sustained and inclusive growth depend whilst combating endemic corruption at the same time.
The dream result would be equality, better health care, education and agricultural systems, actualizing Gotaibi’s visual metaphor of banishing the darkness with Ba Moyi Ya Afrika, Suns of Africa.
Kōan Jeff Baysa
read more
CASH COWS AND CORRUPTION
Initially, the number of lights was meant to be up to a hundred to create an impressive array of brilliance much higher than the thirty-three lights in the final installation. A stroke of misfortune resulted in lost funds, and when the pockets of the two individuals purchasing the lights were emptied, there was only enough money for thirty-three lights. Serendipitously, it was the perfect number to form a circle.
African countries remain cash cows for western governments and corporations. More wealth is pillaged from Africa each year than enters it in the amount of $40bn, done directly through multinational kleptocrats repatriating profits and moving money illegally into tax havens. Offshore registered companies bleed African countries dry through tax evasion and tactics like transfer pricing. Minimal reporting requirements and understaffed and poorly resourced revenue authorities further hobble the tracking of monies through the maze of shell companies, holding companies, and offshore entities used by investors. The specter of colonial plundering persists as the presence and power of mining and oil firms, and in the new guises of extractive industries, illegal logging and fishing. The thieving includes the "tribal art" market, whose consequences result in enormous losses of Africa’s cultural heritages.
The glaring light of exposure and mandates of transparency are essential in slowing and halting the hemorrhaging of money. Some countries have begun to fight corruption by disclosing mining contracts for public scrutiny. The government needs to convert the country’s resource wealth into the human capital and investments in infrastructure on which sustained and inclusive growth depend whilst combating endemic corruption at the same time.
The dream result would be equality, better health care, education and agricultural systems, actualizing Gotaibi’s visual metaphor of banishing the darkness with Ba Moyi Ya Afrika, Suns of Africa.
Kōan Jeff Baysa
read more
