Foto by Prof. Armin Prinz, Austria, 2006.
Foto by Prof. Armin Prinz, Austria, 2006.
Alafu - Bulongo, who calls himself Alfi Alfa, was born in Kinshasa on Sept. 18th, 1967. He is a popular painter in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He was taught in fine-arts by Cheri Cherin.
Expositions: 1994 Galerie Decleves, Kinshasa - Gombe; 2002 Jardin Botanique de Kinshasa; 2005 "Regards sur les 15 ans de transition", Hotel Memling and Bibliotheque Wallonie-Bruxelles; 2007 "Le Congo d'hier, d'aujourd'hui et de demain", Hotel Memling, Kinshasa; 2010 "50 Jahre Unabhängigkeit des Kongo in Bildern", Castle of Puchenau, Linz, Austria; "Die Freiheit und der Kongo", Jägermayrhof, Linz, Austria.
Studio address: 12, Avenue
INZIA, C/KASA-VUVU
"QUI DIRIGE R.D.C." (Who Rules the Congo?). Acrylic colors on canvas, 75 x 94 cm, 2008. (Part of the "Prof. Armin Prinz Donation").
"In his painting the
central
figure asks himself 'Qui dirige R.D.C.?' A UN soldier injects nedicine
into the country. Out of the sleeves of his uniform emerges a boot with
the United States national flag; it steps on blood-tainted contracts. A
Chinese construction worker offers a handful of money for the country.
A rebel fighter who is provided with ammunition by ab abonymous source
controls the country's natural resources: uranium, gas, petrol, gold,
diamonds, wood, and coltan. A desperate Congolese is sitting on a
ladder with his back towards his country."
Ruth Kutalek: Congolese paintings on suffering, violence, and trauma.
In: Sjaak van der Gest & Marian Tinkink: Theory and Action -
Essays for an anthropologist. Uitgeverij AMB, USB 97890 79700 073,
Amsterdam 2009.
"L'IVOIRITE OU LA PARTITION?" (Ivory Coast). Acrylic colors on canvas, 80 x 89 cm, 2011.
Politics in Ivory Coast has been in turmoil since the presidential elections of November 2010. Victory was claimed by both the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, and his rival Alassane Ouattara. Mr Ouattara was internationally recognised as president, after the electoral commission declared him winner of the run-off vote. However, Mr Gbagbo claimed victory after the Constitutional Council overturned Mr Ouattara's win. The United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Mr Gbagbo and his circle, while the World Bank and the West African central bank have cut off his access to financing. Inside the country, rebels still controlling the north after a 2002-03 civil war have said they are on maximum alert and are ready to fight alongside any ECOWAS intervention force. (BBC News)
"Paix" (Peace). Acrylic colors on canvas, 75 x 92 cm, 2009.
"Barack Obama - Thinking about Africa". Acrylic colors on canvas, 89 x 138 cm, 2010.
"L'espoir?", acrylic on canvas, 89 x 140 cm, 2009.
"2em tour de Presidentielle en R.D.C. - Vote Bemba Gombo", acrylic on canvas, 70 x 106 cm, 2008. (Part of the "Prof. Armin Prinz Donation").
"Kabila and Bemba", acrylic on canvas, 92 x 112 cm, 2008.
"Le parcour", acrylic on canvas, 114 x 140 cm, 2008. (Part of the "Prof. Armin Prinz Donation").
"La liberation du 17 Mai 1997", acrylic on canvas, 92 x 142 cm, 2006.
"La Deluge - The Flood", acrylic on canvas, 89 x 117 cm, 2005.
The map of the Congo is shaped by the bodies of people. Politics is based on millions of dead men, cruelties of the civil-war including burning of men and cannibalism are mentioned, the president and the vice-presidents are sharing out the cake filled with money among themselves, the UN-soldier spends his money in love, while the American is fishing away the diamonds to send it to the USA by plane.
"La chasse aux Rwandais", acrylic on canvas, 99 x 120 cm, 2004.
"La Bataille Sanglate de Kinshasa", acrylic on canvas, 90 x 109 cm, 2007.
"La Mutation", acrylic on canvas, 93 x 128 cm, 2007.