The Project

A simplified and non-exhaustive chronology of the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. It is rooted in the management of the former German colony after the war as can be seen. It is the result of intimidation, contempt, repression and ignorance of those who decided on the drawing and administration of the borders we inherit today.

Dates that as a whole crystallize the results of political decisions, but never the consequences of these decisions on the citizens.

This crisis is the result of a peaceful demand transformed by politicians who responded with denial, contempt, intimidation and repression, into a war for independence for some and terrorism for others. 20% of the Cameroonian population found itself in exile in its own country.

These young girls, displaced Anglophones, most of them minors, who prostitute themselves in French-speaking cities in order to survive.

The exactions and collateral damage that fill the hearts of the survivors with hatred.

What is the frustration of this people who sometimes seem so far away to us, Francophones?
How much of their fear do we share?
How much of their anger do we feel?
This work is not meant to be the umpteenth political analysis of the situation and even less a position paper, but just a space of memory.
Memory of these so-called English-speaking Cameroonians who had to flee their villages, their cities, their regions in the midst of a fratricidal war for some, pro-independence and terrorist for others.
Memory of a march that lasted for some displaced people for days, even weeks.
Memory of the spaces crossed.
Memory of the people met.
Memory of the objects left behind but also and especially of those taken with them.
Memory of the moment, of his new life.
Memory of expectations, hopes, of a return...of a healing.
Fragilities where pain and smile, anger and love, fear and happiness, frustrations and poetry are mixed, which I wish to make heard in the hope of the coming of dialogue and resilience.

I plan to visit the main cities where the displaced have taken refuge: Bafoussam, Foumban
displaced by the crisis: Bafoussam, Foumban, Yaoundé and Douala. During this tour, I will collect photographic, sound and graphic material.

I will make portraits of displaced people wearing surgical masks. These masks refer to the fight against the covid-19 pandemic, but here they are the symbol of the muzzling of the victims of this war and even of the war. One of the perverse effects of this pandemic in Cameroon has been to shift the attention of national and international opinion from the crisis to the covid-19.
In addition to the portraits, I will film everyday objects that have a unique history for the displaced and that they have taken with them on their journey. These objects will be the starting point of their stories.

I will encourage the displaced to tell me the story that links them to each everyday object that I will film. I will record these stories in order to make a sound installation and also to create a database accessible through the internet.

It's the story of a mortar belonging to the deceased grandmother of a crisis victim and of which it is the only object that refers to her memory or that of a cookie box that contains all the pains and fears of an orphan...

The interest here is to tell the story of these Cameroonians without any political connotation, just a story that will remain in the collective memory and will testify to this singular era of my country. A story of which they will be the authors.

I will organize drawing workshops geared towards displaced people of all ages. I will ask them to draw spaces, objects, infrastructures of their city of origin or village that are dear to their memory. Graphic representations
graphic representations that are part of their identity.

I will make a copy of these drawings that I will reinterpret using the technique of engraving on paper.

In order for the stories of these displaced people to remain in the memory of their contemporaries, I do not wish to stop only at an artistic exhibition as one would expect from an artist, but I would like to diversify the means of diffusion.

The restitution of this collection will be done within an exhibition where we will meet photography, sound installation and engraving on paper. I would not hesitate to add other mediums such as video if necessary.
video if necessary.
Itinerant exhibition that will tour all the institutions that support the project.

It will be a book 2.0 that in addition to the media content (photos, prints and texts) related to the exhibition, will also have a virtual content. It consists of Qr codes that by scanning give access to online content, namely: interviews of displaced people, behind the scenes of the project, interviews with partners ...

We are in the digital age and the web is one of the most dynamic means of diffusion nowadays. It is for this reason that I wish to put this multimedia content on line for a plural access and an archiving which will last in time.