Abstract

This project explores the relationship between art and history in relation to role of the United Nations in the Congo Crisis. Analysis is based on a selection of six paintings by the Congolese painter Tshibumba Kanda-Matulu. The relationship between artist and historian is explored through written, visual and oral histories of the Congo Crisis, with particular focus on depictions of the United Nations. In comparison with the works of Sapin Makengele and other Congolese artists, themes of collective memory, local history and critical expression are explored in order to highlight the value of alternative historiography in the study of the Congo Crisis. 

Contents

  1. The UN and the Congo Crisis
  2. The Relationship Between Art and History
  3. The Appeal to the UN
  4. The Death of Dag Hammarskjöld
  5. The Women’s Protest in Katanga
  6. The Foire Refugee Camp
  7. The End of the Katangan Secession
  8. Mobutu and the Legacy of the UN
  9. References

Project by Lucy Wiseman