N'ES-TU PAS ESCRO?, DIERICKX?

This work represents a settling of scores between artist Chéri Samba and one of his collectors, Dierrickx. At the center of the composition is a weeping man seated at a table, reading a long letter written by Chéri Samba. The text tells us that Dierrickx had swindled the young Congolese artist by promising him materials in payment for his paintings, a promise he failed to keep. Behind Dierrickx hang two works to which the text refers and which form the heart of the imbroglio between the artist and his collector. The tiling, which responds to the wallpaper motif, and the angle chosen by the painter create a sense of enclosure. As usual, Chéri Samba has incorporated a subtitle into the composition, as well as a long upside-down text that is not easy to read, but contains the keys to understanding this pictorial intrigue. This work bears witness to the life and misadventures of a young artist who is still little known and poorly paid, attracting the malice of some.