Review of ‘Episode 3 – Enjoy Poverty’

A couple of weeks ago I went to see ‘Episode 3 – ‘Enjoy Poverty’ (2009, 90 min) by the Dutch artist Renzo Martens who spent two years filming in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The film was screened at the Tate Modern and was followed by a discussion between the artist, T.J. Demos and Tamar [...]

Inside Kroo Bay with Save the Children

Ever since I came across the website ‘This is Kroo Bay’ last year wanted to learn more about how such a comprehensive and innovative approach came about. Well, thanks to Rachel Palmer, Photography & Film Manager at Save the Children UK I got what I wanted. ‘This is Kroo Bay’ needs to be seen – [...]

Enjoy please poverty: controversy on representation

The controversial film by the Dutch artist Renzo Martens, ‘Episode 3 – ‘Enjoy Poverty’ (2009, 90 min), will be screened at the Tate Modern,  London, on 2nd June at 18.30. In this documentary-style film, Martens investigates the representation of Congolese poverty. Throughout the film  he mocks the way the Western world exploits poverty in Africa. [...]

Amnesty get all sarcastic about Shell

Amnesty continue to have a dig at Shell for their work in the Niger Delta with this new video and ad. The sarcasm that annoyed a couple of those who commented on the video is largely a parody of a Shell CSR ad (I guess much of the narrative is taken directly from one of [...]

Awaiting Justice? Time to re-think the picturing of conflict survivors in Nepal

I was at the British Embassy in Kathmandu a couple of weeks back to attend a gathering on enforced disappearances. The event marked the 6th anniversary of the killing a 15-year-old girl, Maina Sunuwar, in 2004 by the Nepal Army. The main draw was the première of a short film entitled, ‘Awaiting Justice‘ (presented as [...]

What makes you happy? Flow Media asks young Rwandans

From much the same direction as Paul Close’s ‘Is there one thing that could make your life better?‘ comes ‘What makes you happy?‘ by Simon Sticker at Flow Media. Based on the ‘50 People 1 Question‘ project ‘What makes you happy?’ consists of a series of short video clips asking the question to young adults [...]

OSI ‘Moving Walls 16′ exhibition

More from the excellent multi-media and documentary photography work of the Open Society Institute. Whether you are a fan of Soros or not, OSI has invested heavily in the production of high quality visual products that are integrated into social justice campaigns. The ‘Moving Walls 16‘ exhibition brings together work by six photographers. There is [...]

Maps illustrating Africa’s need of trade links for development

One of the keys to using visual media in social activism is finding the right tool for the job. When does a satirical animation trump a hard hitting documentary? Or a painting have more impact than a B&W photo? I am a bit of a map nerd due to my use of OS maps to [...]

Photography as Advocacy – a half century of oil and misery in the Niger Delta

Open Society Institute Documentary Photography Project and Revenue Watch Institute hosted a panel discussion on oil in the Niger Delta and the use of photography in advocating for social change. Ed Kashi and Michael Watts discussed their new book Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta. Click here to [...]

Is there one thing that could make your life better?

Simple. Incisive. Paul Close’s ‘The Snakebox Odyssey’ photographic project journeys across Africa asking individuals one simple question; ‘Is there one thing that could make your life better?’ The answers are combined with portraits that isolate the individuals from their immediate environment with a white back-sheet. The combination of the visual technique and personal question combine [...]