For the first time in the history of the Venice Biennale and of the Rietveld Pavilion, a community that lives and works on one of the plantations that funded and continues to fund the art world, represents itself.
By twinning the White Cube – the previously established museum by CATPC and Human Activities – in Lusanga with the Rietveld Pavilion in Venice, a level playing field has been created by and for CATPC: this is what they see as their next step.
“We’re looking forward to telling our story in Venice 2024. The opportunity to now pair a white cube on a plantation with one at the summit of the art world allows for a direct look into these two worlds and into the inequalities between them. Meaningful and sincere reflections will be produced from these different, but related, realities coming together. Through this presentation, we will come to the final stage of our collective journey into truths that deserve to be shared.” – Ced’art Tamasala, on behalf of CATPC
The exhibition
For both the Venice and Lusanga exhibitions CATPC will create new artworks from the earth of the last remaining patches of forest surrounding the plantation which will subsequently be cast in the raw materials extracted from the plantation.
"Each sculpture carries the seed that will bring back the sacred forest. Ultimately functioning as conduits, these sculptures will allow for a shared equitable future for all humans, making it possible for us to reclaim our stolen lands, to reforest them and to welcome the post-plantation and sacred forest." – Ced’art Tamasala, on behalf of CATPC
Diviner’s Figure representing Belgian Colonial Officer, Maximilien Balot, 1931
An important part of the exhibition is the temporary return of Balot, a sculpture held sacred to their community originally made to protect them against the plantation regime. In anticipation of the simultaneous exhibition in Venice and Lusanga, CATPC submitted a loan request to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA). Recently, this request was approved by the VMFA. And on 19 March 2024 Balot was welcomed in Lusanga by CATPC and their community. CATPC believes in restoring balance and correcting past injustices once the sculpture is returned. The sculpture will be exhibited in the White Cube in Lusanga from 20 April to 24 November 2024, in parallel with La Biennale di Venezia. For more information, see below.
According to CATPC it must be noted that many western museums have been constructed and financed with profits extracted from plantations. They believe that now is the time for museums and art institutes throughout the western world to support reconciliation and actively engage with indigenous communities as they reclaim their land and restore and reconnect to their sacred forests. Now that the ancestral sculpture Balot is returned to the plantation – even temporarily – their movement will be greatly strengthened.
The Judgement of the White Cube
In CATPC’s latest, as yet unreleased performance film The Judgement of the White Cube, the White Cube – all white cubes- is taken hostage and judged. As it stands trial before the community, the white cube is sentenced to ask for forgiveness and to bring back the ancestral sculpture of Balot.
"We aim for a scenario in which the sweat and fruits of plantation labour are transformed from impure stains into tools for repair. The process of exhibiting and expressing our ideas in these fruits that we have produced, enables us –CATPC– to buy back confiscated land, to regenerate the sacred forest and to allow for a peaceful coexistence between humans and nature." – Ced’art Tamasala, on behalf of CATPC
Read more about the Dutch entry to the Venice Biennale here.
