When you destroy the women, you destroy the nation. Congo is our most current example of the desecration of women's bodies as a tool of war. There have been numerous documentaries highlighting the courage of survivors of rape and assault of Congolese women and the excruciating process of regaining their health and their spirit. Lumo and HBO's The Greatest Silence: Rape In The Congo offer a look inside the hospitals that treat these women how travel from all over the country, not only for reconstructive surgery, but for a community of other ostracized survivors.
Tomorrow night in NYC there is a photo exhibition featuring the work of 4 photographers who captured the anguish and resilience of these brave warrior women. If you're not in the New York area, visit congowomen.org to sign the visual petition to stand with women and girls. Details are below...
Congo/Women
Portraits of War:
The Democratic Republic of Congo
Congo/Women
Photo by Lynsey Addario
Monday, March 16
James Cohan Gallery
533 West 26th St
New York, NY
6-8pm: Reception & Program
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Hosted by:
Jane and James Cohan
Speakers:
Marcus Bleasdale
Exhibition Photographer
Carroll Bogert
Associate Director, Human Rights Watch
Noella Coursaris Musunka
Founder, George Malaika Foundation, Empowering African Girls Through Education
Pamela DeLargy
Chief Humanitarian Response Branch, The United Nations Population Fund
Ron Haviv
Exhibition Photographer
Lynn Nottage
Playwright, "Ruined" and MacArthur Fellow award recipient, and Institute-Goodman Fellow
Jane M. Saks and Leslie Thomas
Co-Directors, Congo/Women project
Congo/Women Portraits of War: The Democratic Republic of Congo is an international photography exhibition and educational campaign that raises awareness of the widespread sexual violence facing women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The exhibition features powerful life-size photographs by Lynsey Addario, Marcus Bleasdale, Ron Haviv, and James Nachtwey that convey the strength and courage of Congolese women. Accompanying essays contextualize the impact of the crisis from a range of perspectives. An advocacy partnership with the Enough Project's Raise Hope for Congo campaign provides tools to demand action and involvement from the global citizenry.
Over the next two years, the project will tour selected venues throughout North America, Europe and Africa, visiting universities and community centers to build awareness among as wide an audience as possible. Throughout the tour at each exhibition venue, local advocacy organizations working on gender-based violence will be engaged as collaborators to contextualize this issue locally as well as internationally.
Additional Major Launch Dates:
Fall 2009
United Nations Lobby Exhibition Space
405 E. 42nd Street
New York NY
For a touring schedule and more information:
congowomen.org
artworksprojects.org
colum.edu/institutewomengender
Tel: 312-369-8829
Produced by:
Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media, Columbia College Chicago, and Art Works Projects.
Major funding by:
UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, and Humanity United.
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