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Lot 56

Chéri Samba
(Democratic Republic of Congo, born 1956)
La Democratie?

28 February 2018, 17:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £27,500 inc. premium

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Chéri Samba (Democratic Republic of Congo, born 1956)

La Democratie?
signed and dated 'Cheri Samba/ D.1995' (lower right)
oil on canvas
83.5 x 103.5cm (32 7/8 x 40 3/4in).

Footnotes

In this painting, the artist explores his nation's problematic relationship with democratic rule. The inscription at the top of the painting reads:

"Dificile de repondre a ces deux questions dans un continent qui n'a pas eu des traditions democratique: est ce que la democratie est-elle l'unique idee pour qu'un pays se developpe??? Que disons-nous alors de la chine?"

("It is difficult to respond to the question [of democracy] in a continent that has not had democratic traditions: is democracy the only way for a country to develop? What can we say of China then?"]

The inscription along the lower margin reads:

"Depuis que le processus de democration a commence, rien n'est encore fait qui puisse satisfaire les Africains. On a l'impression comme si la democratie continue a gagner du terrain parce que les politiciens Africains n'ont pas encore d'oreilles pour ecouter les propos des autres et malgre ca, ils sont encourages par par les soit disant donneur de bons exemples."

(Since the process of democratisation began, nothing has been done to satisfy the African people. It seems that democracy continues to gain ground because the African politicians do not have ears for the words of others, and despite that are encouraged by so-called good examples"]

This painting was so popular, that Samba executed another version in 2003 which was offered in our saleroom in 2012.

Additional information

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