THE AESTHETIC OBSERVER (2021) - a photo on Flickriver

THE AESTHETIC OBSERVER (2021)

            Congoville exhibition at the Middelheim open air musem.

By artist Maurice Mbikayi. He was born in 1974 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and currently lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa.

In this figure’s clothing we recognize keys recuperated from old computer keyboards, a reference to the raw materials needed in today’s technology: it is still exploited workers who extract the ores from the ground in Congo, thus enabling the Western way of life. And afterwards, the West often dumps the materials back in Africa as toxic waste. Mbikayi collects the remains and uses them in his art. In this way, he not only denounces this skewed situation but also pays tribute to the resilience of the African people, who have found endless ways to make the most of limited resources. The ‘aesthetic observer’ is a flâneur and a dandy, an imagined cousin to the famous Congolese sapeurs. The dandy pays close attention to his appearance, as a sign of resistance and independence.

Sur le vêtement de ce personnage, on reconnaît des touches d’anciens claviers d’ordinateurs, une référence aux matières premières que nécessite la technologie contemporaine: ce sont encore et toujours des travailleurs exploités qui extraient du sol congolais les minerais indispensables au mode de vie occidental. Ensuite, l’Occident renvoie souvent les déchets toxiques de ces matériaux en Afrique. Mbikayi en réunit des restes qu’il intègre à ses œuvres. Il dénonce de la sorte non seulement la situation biaisée, mais rend également hommage à la résilience des Africains qui trouvent une infinité de méthodes pour maximaliser leurs moyens limités. « L’observateur esthétique » est un flâneur et un dandy, à l’image des célèbres « sapeurs » congolais. Le dandy accorde beaucoup d’attention à son apparence, un signe de résistance et d’indépendance.

Some rights reserved

Taken in: Belgium / Flanders / Arrondissement of Antwerp / Molenveld (show map)

Taken on: September 21, 2021

Tags:

lens

hat

globe

smartphone

art

waste

computer

claviers

déchets

Belgium

Belgique

Antwerp

Anvers

museum

figure

keys

toetsen

raw

dandy

Congo

Africa

Afrique

exhibition

atlas

wereldbol

objectif

head

bokeh

Nikon D7100

105mm « less

Sets appears in: • Museums in Antwerp

Groups appears in: • Museum • Photography more » • Photomontage • Color and Colors - No computer-generated posts. • Flickr Addicts • !FlickrSoup for Soul • Amateurs • Creative Photography • Flickritis: over 87,000 waiting for a vaccine. • Nice pictures • Nederlands en Vlaams • ANYTHING ALLOWED!!!!!! • Your photo goes here! no 30/60 • Favorites: 30 • The World Through My Eyes ... • Views: 3000 • 10 Million Photos • You Think this is Art • Beautiful Capture • Your Best Photography • **Explore Unexplored!** (10 Favs & No Explored) • Xataka Foto • MOSCA - No AI • Popular Photography Magazine • Flickr Number One !! • ***SCREAM OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER*** • It's the Composition, Flickr • *FLICKR's PRO PHOTOGRAPHERS* [No AI or SL] • European Statues and Public Art • ***Flickr Global • DazzlePix MOSAICS & MONTAGES • Middelheimmuseum • Tus fotos, Your pictures, Le tue foto, Tes photos,정의사진 • iArt Museum - Virtual Art Museum • Belgium Digital Photography • FLOOR primus (P1/AW 4) but you need 10 faves first to start • Digital SLR Photography Magazine • La Crème de La Crème • ` FLICKR ´ • flickr (unofficial) • Luna Photo (P1 - A2) • brilliant flickr • Nederlandstalig vriendenforum • Photographers from around the world • 3,000 Views Unlimited 3000 • illumination focus • My time behind the lens No 30/60 limits • ₪ SCULPTURES 〠 of Ѿ all ☃ SORTS ₪ ☥Award 2☥ • !*ALL ARE WELCOME*! • Amateur Photographer Magazine • Flickr Social • Today's Flickr • !*Flickr All Stars*! • Colours of Flickr • Group for all users of FLICKR - No 30/60 Groups Limit • 3.000 / 3000 views at least (NO LIMITS, NO 30/60) • All Free Pictures (Creative Commons and Public Domain) • The best picture of the world • !*Only Your Best*! • FLICKR INTERNATIONAL - No 30/60 Groups Limit • ~Attention Worthy - No 30/60 Limit • Flickr Photo Album Unlimited & Instant Posting • Flickr Addicts Two • quarantine art • ∞GENIAL💡SHOT ! No_More than 690 Genial Members !! • Fans of Flickr « less

Stats: 3,699 views / 10 comments

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: