Congolese Collective CATPC Represents Netherlands at 60th Venice Biennale with Critique of Plantation Legacy
At the 60th Venice Biennale, happening from April 20 to November 24, the Dutch exhibit features the Congolese artist group Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise (CATPC), supported by Renzo Martens and Hicham Khalidi. Their pavilion, situated in the Giardini, critiques the idea of exclusivity and highlights the link between plantation work and Western art funding. CATPC, made up of workers from the Lusanga plantation, is using art sales to help reclaim 200 hectares for restoring sacred forests. They also reflect on Lusanga's history as Leverville, a former Unilever hub, while advocating for the freedom of Congolese plantations. Their work draws inspiration from both local and global artists and aims to explore pavilions in Benin, Egypt, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Key facts
- CATPC is a Congolese artist collective representing the Netherlands at the 60th Venice Biennale
- The Biennale runs from 20 April to 24 November 2024
- Renzo Martens and Hicham Khalidi support the pavilion in the Giardini
- CATPC uses art sales to buy back 200 hectares of plantation land for sacred forest
- Lusanga was renamed Leverville in 1911 as a Unilever plantation hub supplying palm oil
- Profits from plantations funded institutions like The Lady Lever Gallery and Tate Modern's Unilever Series
- The collective advocates liberating plantations, land, and art from historical injustices
- CATPC's museum in Lusanga is twinned with the Dutch Pavilion for broader access
Entities
Artists
- Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise (CATPC)
- Renzo Martens
- Hicham Khalidi
- Matthieu Kasiama
- Aristotle Kibala
- Jean Katambayi
- Chéri Samba
- Chéri Cherin
- Master Liyolo
- Papa Wemba
- Theaster Gates
- Ibrahim Mahama
- Ai Weiwei
- Yoko Ono
- John Lennon
- Picasso
- Kimbangu
- Muhamed Ali
- Georges Foreman
- Mobutu
- Lumumba
- Cercle D’Art Des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise
- CATPC
Institutions
- ArtReview
- Venice Biennale
- The Lady Lever Gallery
- Tate Modern
- Leverhulme Foundation
- Unilever
- Mori Art Museum
- VMFA
- Congolese Pavilion
- Dutch Pavilion
- Benin Pavilion
- Egypt Pavilion
- South Africa Pavilion
- National Asian Culture Center
- K21
- Tensta Konsthall
- Van Abbemuseum
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Giardini
- Lusanga
- Congo
- Leverville
- London
- England
- Richmond
- Boma
- Lubumbashi
- Kinshasa
- Gungu
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Léopoldville
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Gwangju
- South Korea
- Düsseldorf
- Germany
- Stockholm
- Sweden
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Sumatra
- Indonesia