Noorderzon 2025
CATPC - Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise
Nova
Kruissingel, 9712 XN GroningenCATPC is an art cooperative of plantation workers from Lusanga, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Why Plantations Matter
CATPC is an art cooperative of plantation workers from Lusanga, Democratic Republic of Congo. This year, CATPC represents the Netherlands at the Venice Biennale. The artworks – mainly sculptures made of clay and reproduced in materials from the plantation (cacao, palm oil, and sugar) – convey the pain and evil of colonialism. At the same time, they are objects of hope and recovery: with the proceeds from their art, CATPC aims to buy and restore hundreds of hectares of former plantation land for future generations. Three members of CATPC, Mbuku Kimpala, Ced’art Tamasala, and Matthieu Kasiama, are at Noorderzon to explain their work.