Chimurenga Vol. 9: Conversations in Luanda and Other Graphic Stories
(june '06)
Read about the issue here
Guerilla – David Bassevitz
Truth & Reconciliation – Graeme Arendse
Words drawn from testimonies to the TRC on the death of BC leader Steve Biko
Che – art: Alberto and Enrique Breccia; words: Héctor Oesterheld
Excerpted from the Breccias and Oesterheld’s biography of Ernesto "Che" Guevara. First published in 1968 in Buenos Aires, the book sold over 60,000 in its first week. But the 1973 military onslaught made it a dangerous book to own and most copies were hidden and subsequently burned. Oesterheld (script) was tortured and murdered along with his 3 daughters; Alberto Breccia (art – now dead) and his son, Enrique, were also put on the junta’s hitlist. Although the book later resuscitated in Spanish and French versions, only four unsold copies of the original still exist, buried in the Breccias garden in Buenos Aires. Translated by Ntone Edjabe.
Ladies – Nicolene Louw
Difficulties – Mac McGill
When you kill us, we rule – art: Sandra Brewster; words: Audre Lorde
Art inspired by a conversation between Keziah Jones and Fela Anikulapo Kuti (printed in Chimurenga 8). The words are from Audre Lorde's poem "The Black Unicorn".
My Father's Wives – art: Graeme Arendse; words: Jose Agualusa and Karen Boswall
Based on the narrative for the film My Father's Wives by Jose Eduardo Agualusa and Karen Boswall, currently in development. The protagonist, Laurentina Reis (30), a Mozambique-born, Portugual-based documentary filmmaker, retraces the travels and documents the legacy of her father, the fictional Angolan musician Faustino Manso, along the coast of southern Africa. Lettering by Rucera Seethal.
Read Agualusa's original text in Portuguese here.And view the photographs by Jordi Buch that inspired the art.
Tarzan is an Expatriate – Loulou Cherinet
Art adapted from Cherinet's "Whiteman series", a collection of photographs made in Asawa, Ethiopia. This piece is titled after a 1975 essay by Paul Theroux on British expats in East Africa.
Miscegenation of Life – art: various; words: Junior Samples
For this biting satire on racial purity, Junior Samples aka Lance Tooks "sampled" (that's hip hop for stolen!) visuals from other comic sources.
Salut Deleuze! – art: Martin tom Dieck; words: Jens Blazer
Culled from their comic book tribute to, and intellectual biography of Gilles Deleuze, where in his after-life the philosopher wrestles with his own theories (and fellow post-structuralists Foucault, Barthes and Lacan).
GodHead – Ho Che Anderson
Excerpted from GodHead, Anderson’s forthcoming science fiction novel, a kind of class struggle drama/theological discussion wrapped in the skin of an action adventure story.
Visioncarnation – Orijit Sen
God Is Dead So Smile – Nikhil Singh
Excerpted from Singh's forthcoming novel titled Oh Johnny.
The Student (or Nude Descending a Staircase...Head First) – Lance Tooks
Excerpted from Tooks' satirical novel on the art world, and inspired by the silent film classic The Student of Prague. It is the story of Andre Baldwin, a down-on-his-luck would-be Basquiat who enters into a Faustian bargain with a powerful art critic in exchange for status, riches and the love of a woman.
Haiti – Andrzej Nowicki
Buhoro Buhoro Ni Rwo Rugendo – Jeroen Janssen
Based on Rwandan proverbs
Small Hands – Danijel Zezelj
A tribute to jazz pianist and composer Theleonious Monk
Cover Art – Sandra Brewster