Guillaume Jan

The Tshokwe are a major people of Central Africa who have been present for six centuries on the borders of Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their structured social organisation gave them a military and commercial advantage. Thanks to this dominant position, they have developed an artistic heritage which gradually became their main identity factor. Today, there are two million Tshokwe, half of whom reside in Congo DRC. The people continue to assert their desire to exist through their culture. And the power of their art is internationally recognised. This reference work allows us to discover the daily life of the Tshokwe but also their crafts, the symbolism of their masks, the power of their rites and the fervor of their popular festivals. It makes us understand how their attachment to tradition helps them to chart a course for the future. Text in English and French.

Angelo Turconi has spent fifty years roaming the Democratic Republic of Congo. This passionate, curious and compassionate photographer continues to this day to document the daily life of the Congolese, with a particular focus on their cultural heritage and artisanal and artistic traditions. His photographs capture the power of ancestral ceremonies and the joy of popular celebrations, presided over by the traditional chiefs who still occupy a prestigious position. They reveal the social structure of this central African community by observing the work of artisans, farmers, conveyors of goods (riding their impressive cargo bikes) and market traders. More than just a witness, Angelo Turconi calls himself an emissary of memory. It is the subject of memory that seems to haunt the pages of this book. By drawing on the power of customs that have not yet been dulled by globalisation, his photographs take us on a journey to a world apart: one that is recognisably contemporary and yet connected to references and traditions that seem to come from outside of our world. Text in English and French.