Chéri Samba
Condemnation without Judgment is displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Clearly influenced by the comic strip aesthetic, this work shows his evolution from sign painter to a more modern artist. Samba is shown packing his belongings with a sense of failure in the first scene then boarding a plan from France in the top central panel. Next, Samba, wearing a Western style suit, lands back in Congo where his family waits. They believe he has brought gifts and money back, both symbols of his presumed Western success. The banners in this panel read "The Association of Flatters" and "Local Committee of Beggars." The bottom left scene shows Samba having a dream where he is murdered because of his wealth and status; the last scene confirms his fear that he is condemned both in France and back at his home in Congo. Samba includes both French and his native written language, emphasizing both of his artistic influences.
