Artists' Film Club: Mathieu K Abonnenc

Mathieu K. Abonnenc devotes his work to the forgotten or marginalized areas of recent history, figures and events associated with the 20th century’s struggles for the emancipation of identity. On the basis of investigations and documents, he attempts to deconstruct the nature of representations of the geographical ‘Other’ in particular. This event is followed by a Q&A with the artist.

Programme

• Foreword to Guns for Banta (2011, HD Video, b/w, sound, 25 mins 40 seconds)
• Ça va, ça va, on continue (2012, HD Video, colour, sound, 31 mins 11 seconds)
• An Italian Film (Africa Addio). (Première partie: cuivre, 2012, HD Video, colour, sound, 26 mins)

Further information

• Foreword to Guns for Banta highlights Abonnenc’s interest in the French director Sarah Maldoror as he uses historical research focusing on forgotten histories. Abonnenc’s film includes stills and images taken by war photographers who accompanied the film crew from the unfinished film by French director Sarah Maldoror, Des Fusils pour Banta (Guns for Banta).
• Ça va, ça va, on continue illustrates Abonnenc’s research into former Portuguese colonies by displaying images on liberation movements. The film reveals the complications implicit in commemorating histories of anti-colonial revolt and revolutionary insurrection.
• Abonnenc’s An Italian Film (Africa Addio) is based around the film Africa Addio (1966) produced by Italian directors Franco Prosperi and Gualtierro Jacoppeti. Their film is about the end of the colonial era in Africa and includes footage of the Zanzibar revolution. Abonnenc uses an installation of a factory, which produces copper bars, to signify the violence within Africa.