LA PICNOLEPSIA DE TSHOMBÉ

GLORIA OYARZABAL ( Spain)
www.gloriaoyarzabal.com
LA PICNOLEPSIA DE TSHOMBÉ
Picnolepsia : Absence seizures, also known as petit mal , characterized by brief episodes of altered state of consciousness and
abnormal EEG activity. Term used by Paul Virilio in his book "The Aesthetics of Disappearance".
Moisé Tshombe : leader of the Katanga's secession (DRC, formerly Zaire) in the 60's during the country's independence from
Belgian colonists. After being charged with the murder of anti colonialist democratically elected leader Patrice Lumumba and
having a politically eventful life, he went into exile in Franco's Spain. Once there a bizarre international plot led by the countries
that used to be his allies (USA, England and UN), weaves his abduction following a pretended business trip to Mallorca. He
ended up imprisoned in a military camp in Algeria where he died two years later.
Capture this character‘s Picnolepsias in his last days before his abduction and during this, relate it to the propaganda war
procedure employed half a century ago that results so familiar to XXI century imperialist actions presented as Enduring Freedom
Operations, color revolutions and wars against the axis of evil would be the ultimate intention. By allowing Tshombé settle in
Madrid not as a refugee but as active politician in complete oblivion of his criminal past and unashamedly into his equally
criminal plans, Spain collaborated on the survival of imperialism in Africa in favor of Belgium, USA and multinational mining
companies in Katanga, as well as the serious violation of human rights of the Congolese population. Not only he had the support
of Francisco Franco but with part of the propaganda of the regime media (ABC, Arriba, ...)
Even today, 50 years after these political struggles of life and death, when tragedy of the DRC continues unabated, the role
played by Spain is hidden.By looking into the past, into the origins and my own History , I try to understand the present, the
imbalance in the world order, the consequences : Top manta , manteros : street vendors, mostly sub-Saharan, that sell Chinese
copies of expensive brands displayed on a sheet (manta in Spanish),living on the run, terrified.Show a social reality through a
peephole and raise awareness. Structure used: prologue(RDC's colonialism years, its consequences, brutalism), development
(Introduction of main character and his story)and conclusion(Fake paradises/Top Manta).
"Time is aware automatically welded to form a continuity without apparent cuts" Paul Virilio ("The Aesthetics of
Disappearance")
"La politique et l'art (...) construit des fictions, ce est à dire des assemblages de matériaux de signes et d'images, de la relation
entre ce que nous voyons et ce que nous disons, entre ce que nous faisons et que nous pouvons faire?" Jacques Rancière.
This work is a mix of various photo media supports and different sizes: digital, analogical and archive photography, instant
photography (Polaroid and Instax), photo glass plates, objects from flea markets, texts from various sources (written by me,
newspapers of the time, books,...) creating eventually a narrative collage of a docu-fiction.There's a dummy of a future book,
even though this video is from an old version of it (https://vimeo.com/132540138)
Screen shot 20cm x 30cm
Archive Polaroid . 6cm x 7cm
In the colonial era, Belgium in the Congo had created a
network of military outposts and forced labor camps.
They brutality against Africans was horrifying: over a
period of 20 years, the population declined from 25 to
15 million. As a result the Belgian imperialists filled
their pockets with huge profits from rubber, timber and
palm
oil.
During World War II, the Congo was the world's leading
source of rubber and essential minerals such as titanium
and cobalt, for imperialist war machine. The uranium for
the atomic bombs the United States dropped on the
Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki came from the
Shinkolobwe
mine
Congo.
In the eastern mountains of Congo there are valuable
minerals such as coltan and niobium, plus gold,
diamonds, copper and tin. Coltan, abbreviation for
columbium-tantalum, is found in antique floors which are
three billion years old. It is used mixed with niobium
to produce capacitors in order to manage the power flow
of cell phones. Cobalt and uranium are essential for
nuclear, chemical, aerospace industry and weapons. About
80% of world reserves of coltan are in the Congo.
Archive photography 20cm x 30cm
Díptych 40cm x 50 cm each one
Archive photography
Digital Photography
60cmx80 cm
Crystal photography plaque
20 cm x 30 ,lightbox
Archive Photography 20cm x 30 cm
Newspaper Text file 15cm x 25 cm
Archive photo
7cm x 10 cm
Digital photo
40cm x 30
Instax Photo 20cm x 30cm
Archive images
The mining province of Katanga led by Moise Tshombe Kapenda,
declares its independence on July 11, 1960 with Belgian support as
they
were
interested
in
the
mines.
On January 17, 1961 Patrice Lumumba, after being cruelly tortured
was killed along with two of his ministers, each one tied up to a
tree, at night in a forest, illuminated by the headlights of a car.
His body was
destroyed and thrown into the river. His life and
death, orchestrated by the United States (CIA), England (M16) and
the UN, and implemented by Belgium in the hands of Moise Tshombe,
have
become
a
symbol
of
resistance
to
neo-colonialism.
In 1963 Tshombé was sentenced to death by the government
of
his
country ruled by who use to be his ally Mobutu, was exiled to Spain
and received by Francisco Franco and supported by the press of the
regime. From Spain he continues his efforts to regain power.
Spanish collaboration wasn't with Tshombe and Mobutu, but with US
imperialism that finally decided to go for the last one among all
the
contenders.
By allowing Tshombe settle in Madrid not as refugees but as an
active politician, with total disregard for his criminal past and
unashamedly to his equally criminal plans, Spain collaborated on the
survival of imperialism in Africa in favor of Belgium, the US and
extractive companies multinationals in Katanga, as well as the grave
violation
of
human
rights
of
the
Congolese
people.
It is impossible to measure the damage caused by this collaboration,
but in any case it is known that the DRC is a martyred
country
before and since its independence by foreign potencies
and that
Spain has some responsibility in this tragedy, even as minor
accomplice
of
in
causing
the
disaster.
It is not unreasonable to think that if Spain had refused to welcome
Tshombe, or better yet, if he had reported to the UN, DRC history
might
have
been
different.
At least Spanish history would have been. However, vassal relations
with the US -yesterday as today- , included the implementation of
actions beyond their own interests and certainly contrary to
international law and the right of peoples to struggle to get rid of
imperialism.
This
dishonorable
past
holds
lessons
for
the
present.
Digital Photography
60cm x 80cm
Archive text and photography
35cm 20 cm each one
Digital Photography
60cm x 80 cm
Digital Photography
60cm x 80 cm
Digital photography
60cm x 80 cm
Digital Photography
40cm x 65 cm
Composition filmstills 30cm x 60 cm
Filmstill 30 cm x 60cm
Archive extract of newspaper, archive photography
15cm x 50cm
Original African Postcard
7cm x15 cm
Digital Photography
60cm x 80cm
Composition digital photography
64cm x 80cm
Snapshot Photography Fuji Instax
25cm x 30cm each one
Digital photography
60cm x 80cm
Archive text file
25cm x 40 cm
Dark wood frame
Snapshot Photography Fuji Instax
30cm x 25 cm
Digital Photography
70cm x 100cm
Digital Photography
40cm x 50cm
Digital photography
40cm x 50 cm
Photographic Composition 80cm x 100cm
Dyptich Digital Photography
80cm x 100cm each one