Healing and Restoring Dignity to Survivors of Sexual Violence in Eastern DRC

South Africa Tue 29-03-2011

Healing and Restoring Dignity to Survivors of Sexual Violence in Eastern DRC
By Caroline Kaminju | Africancolours.com

The Art for Peace is a benefit exhibition featuring 11 of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s most renowned visual artists.

Work by DRC Artist Papy Malumbu

Untitled by Papy Malumbu

The warfare has raged in the eastern DRC since 1996, resulting in serious sexual abuses against women and girls. The survivors of these horrible incidents have few resources and rehabilitation facilities to rely on, and desperately require support and intervention.

The main beneficiary from the exhibition will be the Panzi Hospital, founded in 1999 by Dr Mukwege, a Congolese gynaecologist. Panzi Hospital treats its patients at no charge, and the benefit from this will be an extension of services to those women and girls who would otherwise not receive any attention because of the shortage of resources.

The crisis of sexual violence in the eastern DR.C necessitates an urgent, focused and collaborative response, as expressed by Margot Wallstrom (UN Secretary-general’s special representative on sexual crime in conflict, addressing the United Nations Security Council.(7 September, 2010) , in her statement that:
It is evident that rape is increasingly selected as the weapon of choice in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo…the sad reality is that incidents of rape have become so commonplace that they do not trigger our most urgent interventions.”
Margot Wallstrom.

Work by one of the DRC Artists Doudou Mbemba Lumbu

Untitled by Doudou Mbemba Lumbu

Scheduled to take place from Tuesday, 29 March, 2011 at the Sandton Craft and Design Centre within Nelson Mandela Square, the exhibition will feature artworks that the eleven artists have created specifically for the exhibition. The participating artists, Roger Botembe, Lema Kusa, Alfred Liyolo, Henri Kalama, Egide N’shole, Doudou Mbemba Lumbu, Maludi, Franck Dikisongele, Papy Malambu, Mavinga and Freddy Nsimba are all internationally renowned as world-class artists with a uniquely Congolese perspective.

Their collective achievements on the Congolese and international arts platforms are considerable - each of the artists is a consistent feature on the international arts exhibition scene, have been recognized and awarded by art institutes the world over, and their work is sought after by art collectors worldwide.(_{artist biographies available on request})

“AngloGold Ashanti is always keen to play a role in bettering the lives of others in the communities and societies in which we operate. We hope that will be a consequence of our work in the DRC, and that our sponsorship of this exhibition will raise public consciousness about this critical human rights issue” says Senior Vice President Yedwa Simelane.

The Art for Peace exhibition is the collaborative brainchild of Dreamcatcher, a South African based event coordination and publicity agency, in partnership with The Pygma Group, a South African and DRC based advertising firm, with the sponsorship support of AngloGold Ashanti.

“We must strive to make a difference and restore to these women and children the dignity they deserve, even if it is one step at a time” comments exhibition organiser Phindile Mkhabela - Art for Peace is our way of contributing to the solution. After all, as South Africans, we’ve seen firsthand the power of collective action in creating change. We’re also extremely heartened by AngloGold Ashanti’s support, and that of the participating artists - it is precisely this type of collective effort that yields meaningful results. We have no doubt that the collaboration will make a real difference to Panzi Hospital.”

Art for Peace’s main strength is in its collaborative nature - it is the project’s hope that the Art for Peace exhibition, by making available for sale the incredible artwork from the DRC’s finest artists, will offer South Africans a meaningful way to contribute to the rehabilitation of the traumatised women and children survivors of sexual violence in the eastern DRC.

Work by DRC Artist Franck Dikisongele

Untitled by Franck Dikisongele

Art can be an incredible catalyst – its power lies in the clarity of its message, and ability to galvanize audiences into swift action. It is exactly this power that the Art for Peace exhibition aims to harness amongst South African audiences.

Issued on behalf of The Art for Peace Benefit Exhibition by Dreamcatcher.

For further information, interview requests and visuals of artists and artwork, please contact:
Marang Setshwaelo, Dreamcatcher
082 559 1802/011 447 5655
Marang@dreammultimedia.co.za

Posted By: Diana Achieng

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