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Kunstgeschiedenis-WAS-Lecture 7 Renzo Martens Episode III- Enjoy Poverty
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Lecture notes of 6 pages for the course World Art Studies at UL (College notes)
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World of Art Part II – Iden00es (lecture 6-8)College 7 Renzo Martens “Episode III: Enjoy Poverty"
In zijn essayfilm "Episode III: Enjoy Poverty" onderzoekt kunstenaar Renzo Martens de emo0onele en
economische waarde van gefilmde en gefotografeerde armoede in de geglobaliseerde wereld. Hij stelt
dat gefilmde armoede een belangrijk exportproduct van Afrika is, waarbij de armsten die het
onderwerp zijn van deze beelden er het minst van profiteren. Martens betoogt dat de journalis0ek die
armoede documenteert, zelf ook uitbui0ng en winst genereert. Hij vraagt zich af of het bekijken van
deze beelden leidt tot medeverantwoordelijkheid voor wereldproblemen. Martens richt zich specifiek
op armoede in Congo, ondanks de waardevolle grondstoffen van het land. Hij reist door Congo en
probeert Congolezen ervan te overtuigen dat ze kunnen profiteren van hun eigen armoede. Martens
benadrukt echter dat armoede niet overal dezelfde economische waarde heeR en dat in gebieden
zonder aanwezigheid van journalisten of hulporganisa0es, armoede waardeloos is. Hij onderzoekt de
complexiteit van armoede, journalis0ek, hulporganisa0es, corrup0e en de rol van media in de
moderne samenleving, en doet dit door zijn eigen rol als filmmaker en westerling te analyseren. Hij
verschijnt in de film in verschillende rollen, zoals journalist, kunstenaar, missionaris en hulpverlener, en
toont de wisselwerking tussen zijn eigen handelen en de realiteit om hem heen. Deze zelfreflexieve
benadering is typerend voor het cinematografisch essay.
"Enjoy Poverty" roept vragen op over de rol van media met betrekking tot de armste gebieden in de
wereld. De film laat zien dat de media vooral een economisch belang dienen, waarbij beelden van
armoede in Afrika worden uitgezonden, wat leidt tot dona0es van het westerse publiek aan de
hulpverleningsindustrie. Veel van dit geld vloeit echter weer terug naar het Westen. De film onthult
dat de media hun ware aard als handelswaar verhullen. Hoewel andere journalisten Martens verwijten
dat ook hij verdient aan zijn film, benadrukt hij dat "Enjoy Poverty" juist de eigen aard van de media
niet verhult.
Episode III, also known as ‘Enjoy Poverty’, is the 90 minute film registra0on of Renzo Martens’
ac0vi0es in the Congo. In an epic journey, the film establishes that images of poverty are the Congo’s
most lucra0ve export, genera0ng more revenue than tradi0onal exports like gold, diamonds, or cocoa.
However, just as with these tradi0onal exports, those that provide the raw material: the poor being
filmed, hardly benefit from it at all.
Amidst ethnic war and relentless economic exploita0on, Martens sets up an emancipa0on program
that aims to teach the poor how to benefit from their biggest resource: poverty. Thus, Congolese
photographers are encouraged to move on from development-hindering ac0vi0es, such as
photographing weddings and par0es, and to start taking images of war and disaster. With a neon sign,
packed in metal crates and carried through the jungle by Martens’ porters, the local popula0on is
encouraged to capitalize on what the world has given them as their share. It states ‘Enjoy Poverty.’
Hapless planta0on workers ques0on it, accept it, dance around it, yet in the end, the whole project
seems bound to fail.
The piece is the third in a series of films that, by enac0ng their own parameters, try to make visible
their own complicity in a world obscured by depic0ons of it. The first of this series was ‘Episode I’ set
in Chechnya.
, Argue for or against the statement
1.Renzo Martens main concern with enjoy poverty was to help Congolese people out of poverty
For: He wants to empower them and educate them to get out of poverty
They are being exploited by the west – the journalist
Reclaim ownership their resource/commodity, poverty, use it to good way
Against: White saviour – uses his art. The ar0st helps himself and not the Congolese people
Used the Congolese people, trained them but in the end they couldn’t get a press card
Main Goalà quite controversial
Commodi0es there in Congo is gold, and other resources
He tries to tell them
2. Enjoy Poverty is about Congo and about how people live there
For: It takes place in Congo, zooming in a part of Congolese society that are normally outside of the
media.
• He’s on zooming about a very specific people, the planta0on people and how they are confronted
daily how others (westerners) make money of their poverty
• How it was shot, the storyline was done
Against: He’s just using this country as an example to show that the West is s0ll exploi0ng many of
these undeveloped countries.
• Western abtudes, the journalist (taking pictures), more commentary about the western people
taking the shots, how they represent the Congolese.
• How the West looks at Congo.
• We see only the bad sides – it is not very objec0ve
• We see planta0on owners and the people
3. Enjoy Poverty should not be only evaluated based on whether the subject is interes0ng, or to
whether or not the video possesses a certain aesthe0cs, also the ethics of the ar0st should be
taken into considera0on. And, likewise, the ar0st should act ethically and responsibly.
For:
• Alters you way you look at art, an ar0st must have certain freedom to express their art
• Value an artwork base on their ethics, then all art would go today
• Ar0s0c freedom
• One can’t exclude the other
• Ethics is something subjec0ve
Against:
• Is he not showing the opportunism western filmmakers, journalist. Is he really unethical? Is he not
just showing how western people do?
• Is he just the messenger or is he really ethical
àUni NY, professor presented an artwork by Mohammed by an ar0st, it went against the Muslim
student group because Mohammed should not be represented.
This professor was sent away. Wad it ethical? Who decides what is ethical.
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