Coffret de Survie

Coffret de survie consists of a makeshift catapult next to which a collection of precious gemstones and minerals are laid out. Collected from the Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, they simultaneously represent the region’s riches and curse: its abundance in precious minerals, mined by international investors to supply the world in primary resources for its insatiable need for electric batteries of all kinds. Rather than driving development for its people, these riches have attracted all kinds of predators – from armed groups to cowboy firms. The coffret on view here, bringing to mind precious gemstone boxes, no longer serves as a collector’s item filled with treasured minerals. Presented in their rough shape, alongside an ubiquitous catapult purchased from local street vendors, they become gadgets in a toolbox for survival, primary ammunition in the people’s defense.