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From Congo with Love

Photography exhibition by Rankin

Famous for his portraits of Kylie Minogue, Kate Moss and the Queen, portrait photographer Rankin presents images from his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo with Oxfam. Rankin's photographs featured in a huge exhibition on London's South Bank in early 2010.

July 2 2010: It was with great sadness that we heard about the tragedy that struck Sange, the small town in South Kivu featured in this exhibition.
Tragedy in Sange, as explosion kills 230

Congo family album

During his visit Rankin ran a series of workshops, teaching around 200 people how to take their own images. Prior to the workshops, most had never seen a camera. Their brief was simple – take photos of the people and things that you love.

Portraits by Rankin

These images focus on the love and solidarity found in the midst of one of the world’s worst conflict zones. There are images and stories exploring romantic love, love lost, mother's love and the kindness of strangers.

Muvida's daughter died in childbirth. Now Muvida and her granddaughter Chance live in a goat shed with nine other people. Muvida says: "I will love this baby as my own. When my daughter died, I didn’t lose everything. I still have this beautiful baby to remind me of her."

Furaha: "When the fighting started it was hard to carry anything other than the children. We have six children in our family. We had to hide in the bush for four days before we found our way here."

Masumbuko and Grace: "I fell in love with my wife the first time I saw her. There was just something about her – the way she was talking, the way she was walking, her nose, and her ears. When I saw her I thought she was very, very beautiful. I can't explain it. To me she is perfect." Masambuko.

Mbrize Loyi (pale pink head scarf): "My daughter Elisa died here one month ago, she was nine years old. It was while we were living in the school. I don't know what happened, she just died one night. When I came here with my baby it was to protect her from the fighting, and yet she dies here – in a place where we were supposed to be safe."

Magdalene: "When the fighting flared up, thousands of people were arriving every day. They didn't know where to go. We had two spare rooms so my husband invited them to come and live with us. We managed to take in one family of seven and a teenage orphan called Alfio. How can you not feel compassion for people in need?"

Zafarani: "When we first arrived in Sange we were staying in the school, but they threw us out when the school term started in September. We were so happy when we found this kind family. They gave us a place to stay. They didn't ask for any money. They even let us help them on the farm and gave us their food. We are really grateful for what Madaren and her family have done for us. We will never forget it."

Alfredo: "I love my guitar. It is my most precious possession. I have had to run from my village three times because of the war. I leave everything behind except my guitar. Even if it's dangerous I always go home and take my guitar before I run. I can forget all of my worries when I'm playing."

Chantelle and Marie - Marie: "I like her company. We do everything together. It's nice to have someone to chat to. We mainly chat down at the river when we are collecting water."

Charles: When I met my children on the road they told me that my wife was having a heart attack. The gunfire was so close and so loud, she just collapsed. My neighbours helped me carry her on a stretcher; we kept running, carrying her on our shoulders, and all the time the sound of gunfire getting louder and louder. I kept looking at her to see if she was still alive. After a while we had to stop for a rest and I saw that she was already gone."

Basaza: "I came to Sange from a village south of here. One night we were woken by gunfire. The rebels just took two people – my brother and my friend. They took them into the bush and stabbed them in the neck with a knife. None of us moved. If any of us had made the smallest movement they would have killed us too."

We are Congo

A book of Rankin's photographs is
available now.

Buy the book online
or from an Oxfam
shop

Oxfam in DRC

More about our work in DR Congo