REVIEW: ‘System K’
Photo: System K includes the creative process of Kongo Astronaut. Photo courtesy of Artification / Provided by Film Forum press site with permission.
System K, the new documentary from director Renaud Barret, details the burgeoning and endlessly interesting art scene in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The 95-minute movie, now playing New York City’s Film Forum, offers a fascinating portrait of creative people living on the fringe of a broken economic system, with nothing left to utilize in their protests but the sculptural and performative pieces they create in a small community of like-minded individuals.
Most fans of contemporary art will not know the names of these Kinshasa artists, but after spending 95 minutes watching their creative process, no doubt many people will be won over by their skill, dedication and bravery.
The assembled artists, according to press notes, have wonderfully original names like Kongo Astronaut, Strombo and Kill Bill. They use the capital city and its many societal problems as inspiration for their work. One man is a sculptor who uses forgotten garbage in the street to create life-size renderings of individuals, some of them propped against walls as if being searched by police. They are made from bottle caps and bullets. Another structure consists of machetes, a haunting reminder of the violent past (and present) that plagues the Congo.
Another artist, the one who goes by Kongo Astronaut, walks around the streets in a sci-fi-influenced astronaut suit, grabbing the attention of walkers and passersby in their cars. One solitary light highlights his helmet and suit, which is pulled together from odd bits and pieces. He’s not even the strangest sight, given that there’s another artist who traipses around with enormous devil horns attached to his head.
Perhaps the most visceral work on display — and the most controversial and difficult to watch — is a performance piece dubbed “Blood Bath.” It involves the sacrificing of a goat on the street and a man being carted around in a bathtub. Every few feet he squeezes blood — perhaps the goat’s blood? — into his mouth and then spits it out. A fellow artist walks behind the tub, clutching the goat with its neck torn open, as if cradling a child. It’s a horror-filled demonstration that will not win over too many converts, but certainly speaks to the anger and seriousness of the performers.
As Barret makes his way through the streets of Kinshasa, the capital city’s issues are evident. There is no running water, and one revealing scene shows community members purchasing water from a fountain. There is garbage on the street, which turns into the artists’ treasure. The police indiscriminately round up someone who is looking at one of the performance pieces. Traffic snarls the roads, which are caked with mud and filled with puddles that never seem drain away.
Some of these harsh conditions are the exact reason why the artists have taken to their makeshift studios with the goal of causing a stir. Their DIY mentality and courage to showcase their work without fear of reprisal or condemnation are praiseworthy. The rawness and desperation of their artistic pieces make for powerful political art and memorable street theater. Their output is every bit as worthy of recognition as the typical pieces collected by western museums, and yet until a documentary like this shone a spotlight on them, often their cries of creativity were not leaving the country. Now their art has been unleashed, and their voices have been heard.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
System K, written, directed and photographed by Renaud Barret, is now playing New York City’s Film Forum. Running time: 95 minutes. In French and Lingala with English subtitles. Rating: 
Click here for more information and tickets.
