ARTISTS
Renzo Martens: Episode III
The Box is excited to bring the work of Renzo Martens to Los Angeles for his first solo exhibition in the United States. We are proud to bring the work to LA specifically because this is the city where Martens developed the ideas that he employed for both of his films: Episode I and Episode III. This exhibition will present his film, Episode III in its first American presentation since its release in 2008. Episode III, also known as 'Enjoy Poverty', is a 90-minute film registration of Martens' activities in the Congo. In an epic journey, the film establishes images of poverty as the Congo鈥檚 most lucrative export, generating more revenue than traditional exports like gold, diamonds, and cocoa. However, just as with these traditional exports, those that provide the raw material, the poor being filmed, hardly benefit from it at all. Episode III will be projected from the mobile research platform-a three part wooden raft on which the film was produced while traveling down the river Congo during the filming. Also included in this installation will be photographs taken by the Congolese photographers featured in the film.
Episode III takes place in the Congo amidst ethnic war and relentless economic exploitation. In the film Martens sets up an emancipation program that aims to teach the poor how to benefit from their biggest resource: their own poverty. Thus, Congolese photographers are encouraged to move away from what are described as development-hindering activities, such as photographing weddings and parties, and to start photographing the war and disaster around them. With a neon sign, packed in metal crates and carried through the jungle by Martens' porters, the local population is encouraged to capitalize on what the world has given them as their share. It states 'Enjoy Poverty.' Hapless plantation workers question it, accept it, dance around it, yet in the end, the whole project seems bound to fail.
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The Box is excited to bring the work of Renzo Martens to Los Angeles for his first solo exhibition in the United States. We are proud to bring the work to LA specifically because this is the city where Martens developed the ideas that he employed for both of his films: Episode I and Episode III. This exhibition will present his film, Episode III in its first American presentation since its release in 2008. Episode III, also known as 'Enjoy Poverty', is a 90-minute film registration of Martens' activities in the Congo. In an epic journey, the film establishes images of poverty as the Congo鈥檚 most lucrative export, generating more revenue than traditional exports like gold, diamonds, and cocoa. However, just as with these traditional exports, those that provide the raw material, the poor being filmed, hardly benefit from it at all. Episode III will be projected from the mobile research platform-a three part wooden raft on which the film was produced while traveling down the river Congo during the filming. Also included in this installation will be photographs taken by the Congolese photographers featured in the film.
Episode III takes place in the Congo amidst ethnic war and relentless economic exploitation. In the film Martens sets up an emancipation program that aims to teach the poor how to benefit from their biggest resource: their own poverty. Thus, Congolese photographers are encouraged to move away from what are described as development-hindering activities, such as photographing weddings and parties, and to start photographing the war and disaster around them. With a neon sign, packed in metal crates and carried through the jungle by Martens' porters, the local population is encouraged to capitalize on what the world has given them as their share. It states 'Enjoy Poverty.' Hapless plantation workers question it, accept it, dance around it, yet in the end, the whole project seems bound to fail.
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