Richard Mosse's Ambivalent Beauty in Congo War Photography
Richard Mosse's photographs of the ongoing war in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, featured in artpress n°438 (November 2016, pp. 44-47), present an ambivalent first experience for viewers—both captivating and disorienting. Using immense African landscapes and warrior portraits, Mosse imposes a singular vision that challenges conventional documentary aesthetics. The work, titled 'La beauté avant tout,' explores the tension between beauty and violence, employing infrared film to render the lush green landscape in surreal pinks and reds, thereby defamiliarizing the conflict zone. Mosse's approach raises questions about the ethics of aestheticizing war and the role of photography in representing humanitarian crises.
Key facts
- Richard Mosse photographed the war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The photographs appear in artpress n°438, November 2016, pages 44-47.
- The series is titled 'La beauté avant tout' (Beauty above all).
- Mosse uses infrared film to transform green landscapes into surreal pinks and reds.
- The work challenges conventional documentary photography.
- Viewers experience an ambivalent reaction, both captivated and disoriented.
- The conflict in eastern DRC was ongoing at the time of the photographs.
- Mosse's images include immense African landscapes and warrior portraits.
Entities
Artists
- Richard Mosse
Institutions
- artpress
Locations
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sources
- artpress —