THE ENCLAVE

The Enclave
Nickolas M Martinez
Portland State University

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2
Introduction

The Enclave directed by Richard Mosse, portrays beauty derived from human
suffering by making visible what is often thought of as being invisible. By presenting an
abstract image, Mosse is able to produce an art form for the viewers to consume, which is
then conceptualized to form an opinion or an understanding of what the artist is
illustrating. Bearing witness to this particular style of art medium, is a tool used by the
artist to create beauty through human suffering, which produces an ethical burden for the
viewer that goes beyond the power and limits of words or writing.
Space
Modern day physicists arguably define physical space as anything existing in a
physical or tangible state that resides in a place (Collins English Dictionary, 2003). In my
own personal experience, when being introduced to the abstract visual and audible
stimuli that are present in The Enclave exhibit, I was overwhelmed with invigorating
feeling and emotion. As I viewed this exhibit, it was unlike anything that Id ever seen on
a screen. It practically forced me to envelop myself in a stimulating frenzy as I frantically
tried to examine every painful scene on display. While I tried to process what was going
on around me, the exhibit continued to consume me with audible hissing and crackling
that was synonymous to the sounds of a fuzzy radio station.
While spectating this spectacular and interacting with this art piece, I experienced
an array of different emotions. The most prominent and overwhelming of these emotions
was the feeling of ethical burden. This ethical burden was derived from the beauty
created through human suffering, and how that shaped the lives of the individuals subject
to it. With these feelings and emotions in mind, I was constantly reminded of the

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metaphor that the artist managed to execute by utilizing the World War II technology that
revealed camouflaged objects in the earths landscape. It was a metaphor that symbolized
realities and vulnerability that are often covered up by what we are unable to visually
perceive. This abstract rendition translated these issues and gave the spectator something
that they could conceptualize and understand, in a way that would attract your complete
undivided attention.
In this work there are many visual mediums that the spectator can bear witness to
without conceptualizing what is going on; which are instances that we see, but do not
react or form opinions on. All the while, there are many other not so discrete aspects of
this exhibit that we cannot see. What we can see all revolves around the daily lives of a
Congolese individual living in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We see that theres
lives are constantly polluted on a daily basis by terrorism, civil wars, poverty, and famine.
This lifestyle has left the Congolese beaten and scarred, they have become so
desensitized to what is going on that they show few emotions in spite of these harsh
realities.
The invisible challenges of the Congolese goes far beyond what we can see
through a visual illustration of the daily routine of an individual living in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. I admired Mosses ability to dare whoever is watching this film to
feel the emotions of the person that is being filmed. The absence of face-to-face
conversation allows the viewer to implement their own perspective by drawing
connections and forming their own ideas as to what the individual is feeling and how they
are coping with reality. It also allowed me to feel more vulnerable toward the Congolese
emotions, there is no way to avoid being challenged by their current state of mind.

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The visible and invisible connect to the problems in the Democratic Republic of
Congo in that they both encompass the vulnerable lifestyles that the Congolese have to
live with on a daily basis. Every day these individuals have to wake up and live with the
fear that their lives are at risk and their going to be presented with challenges that they
are forced to live with unconditionally. Many of the problems eminent in their lives bear
circumstances that we are fortunate enough not to live with here in America. I believe
that Mosse was yearning for those of us who havent felt ethical burden due to our
nations disconnect from these reality to draw connections and develop some form of
perspective toward their lives.
Visual Event
The visual event that reached the peak threshold of my emotional connection to
this exhibit was the scene that depicted the raped mother and children that were being
escorted from within their caskets to their burial site. As this scene was being carried out,
it showed all of the men, women, and children in the crowd being given the opportunity
to help carry their loved ones in these caskets as they are being passed down the line.
This scene managed to portray so many upsetting realities it was almost agonizing to
watch; but in spite of this horrific scene, it still manages retains its beauty through human
suffering.
The manner in which the Congolese were able to express their emotional state of
being without shedding a single tear in this scene was something that words could never
describe. Despite the unfortunate loss of a loved one in their community, these people
were able to come together and create unity amongst their friends and family. This scene

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further proves that beauty can still be found through even the most drastic visual event of
dehumanization and desensitization.
In the 2006 Country Report on Human Rights Practices regarding the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, the U.S. stated, In all areas of the country, the human rights
record remained poor, and numerous serious abuses were committed. Unlawful killings,
disappearances, torture, rape, and arbitrary arrest and detention by security forces
increased (Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2007). This report exemplifies the
political and social context of the problems that are plaguing the Congolese people on a
daily basis. The report manages to explain the daily lives of the people living in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and why they have to deal with these issues of death
and abuse.
A worldwide briefing done by the New York Times regarding the rebels that are
under attack expresses the need for assistance and reform by stating, The strikes targeted
the National Liberation Forces, but a United Nations diplomat said they were mainly
aimed at clearing the way for a later offensive against another group (Congo: Rebels
Under Attack, 2015). The content of this article establishes the need for outside help from
outside organizations such as the UN in bringing an end to the sectarianism going on in
the country.
According the an article published by The Guardian in 2008, 45,000 people each
month (War In Congo Kills 45,000 Each Month, 2008), half of which are small children,
die each month from the conflicts going on in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This statement could not possibly be more invigorating, given the social and political
context of these peoples lives. Its astonishing that this number doesnt make headlines

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on a regular basis. The Enclave captures the severity of the death toll to its fullest extent.
Without people like Mosse to reveal the desensitization of society, many would not know
the significance of the amount of lives that have been lost.
These articles all manage to capture the small amount of influence that the
Democratic Republic of the Congo has on globalization. By observing and further
relating the articles to the small amount of global impact, we can see that there is very
little being done aside from the assistance the UN has been giving to help the Congolese
intervene against its oppressors. Unless other countries provide aid in relieving the
sectarianism and abuse of power going on in this country, I believe that it will be a long
time until we will see improvement from a population of people that matter.
Overall Reaction
Mosse identified the goals of The Enclave in an interview where he stated,
Often if you make something thats derived from human suffering, or from war, if you
represent that with beauty; and sometimes it is beautiful, it creates an ethical problem in
the viewers mind. Then they are feeling disturbed, confused, and disoriented. This is
great because you actually got them to actively think about how this imagery is produced
and consumed. (Richard Mosse: The Impossible Image, 2014). This statement
establishes the foundation as to why Mosse utilizes imagery to allow observers to bear
witness and feel ethical burden through his art.
The Enclave manages to achieve its goals because it creates a perfect testament as
to why we should care about the internal displacement, vulnerability, violence, and
sinister realism that the Congolese have become accustom to. By making the primal
importance of this exhibit the beauty derived from human suffering, he is able to capture

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the attention of the viewer. When he captures the attention of the viewer he immediately
forces the spectator to produce an understanding of these peoples lives in a way that they
can relate and draw connections to.
My overall reaction to The Enclave has left me in complete disarray as to how
Mosse was able to make visible what is often invisible to our scope of perception. His use
of metaphors and symbolism allowed me to see the beauty and anguish of the Congolese
by giving me a new perspective to view their lives through. After reflecting on this piece
of art, it brings me great joy to see that such work is being done to encourage others to
feel a sense of compassion toward those less fortunate. But it has also given me remorse
as to how desensitized and unobservant I have become toward the dehumanization of our
society.

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Resources
Collins English Dictionary. (2003). New York City: Harper Collins.
Democratic Republic of The Congo. (2007, March 6). Retrieved January 29, 2015, from
http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78728.htm
McGreal, C. (2008, January 23). War In Congo Kills 45,000 Each Month. Retrieved
January 29, 2015, from
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jan/23/cong.international
Reuters. (2015, January 5). Congo: Rebels Under Attack. Retrieved January 29, 2015,
from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/06/world/africa/cong-rebels-underattack.html
Richard Mosse: The Impossible Image [Motion picture]. (2014). United States: Frieze.
The Enclave - Portland Art Museum. (2014, November 8). Retrieved January 29, 2015,
from http://portlandartmuseum.org/exhibitions/enclave/

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