French street artist Shuck One pays tribute to Black history at Pompidou Center in Paris
Shuck One is a Black graffiti and visual artist native of the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which is a French overseas department. He is participating in the 'Black Paris' exhibition, which retraces the presence and influence of Black artists in France from the 1950s to 2000.
The Pompidou Center, one of the world's top modern art museums, said that it will celebrate 150 artists of African descent, from Africa to the Americas, whose works have often never been displayed in France before.
Shuck One is one of five artists chosen to provide contemporary insights.
'I wanted to invoke the memory of the Black figures who created the 'Black Paris' and who, in a way, were pioneers before us in artistic, intellectual and other fields,' Shuck One told The Associated Press. 'It's a way for me to honor them.'
Activist and artist
Describing himself as 'an activist who became an artist,' Shuck One grew up in the 1970s in Guadeloupe. After he arrived in Paris in the 1980s, he was considered one of the pioneers of French street art and graffiti — inspired by figures of the Négritude movement that denounced colonialism, racism and Eurocentrism.
His installation, titled 'Regeneration,' is four meters (13 feet) high and 10 meters (33 feet) long. It shows major moments of Black history through paintings and collages of maps of Paris, archives and photos.
The starting point of the installation is the 'Tirailleurs Sénégalais,' a corps of colonial infantry in the French army that fought in both World Wars.
One highlight is the May 1967 riots in Guadeloupe that led to the massacre of possibly dozens of people — figures are still being questioned by historians. Another feature is the BUMIDOM, a French state agency that between 1963 and 1981 organized the migration of 170,000 people from French overseas departments to the mainland for economic purposes, now considered by historians a symbol of post-colonial domination and discrimination.
Portraits of Black figures
It also shows portraits of Black figures, including politicians, writers, civil rights activists and other pioneers.
They include U.S.-born entertainer and civil rights activist Joséphine Baker; Aimé Césaire, poet and founder of the Négritude movement; and American political activist Angela Davis.
But there are also less known names like writer and activist Paulette Nardal; Eugénie Eboué, the first Black woman elected to France's National Assembly and Gerty Archimède, the second to be elected shortly after; and Maryse Condé, a novelist from Guadeloupe.
'The overall message of the exhibition is … to revive these forgotten figures, but also a next-generation aspect, a way to pass their history on,' Shuck One said as he carefully studied the elaborate collage of photos and archive documents on a big wall of the exhibition.
'It's also a way of making people understand what's activism is about — (it's) very well to talk about the community, but it's also important to know its history,' he said.
The exhibition, which runs from March 19-June 30, is one of the last at the Pompidou Center before it shuts down later this year for renovations, which are due to last five years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
a few seconds ago
- Newsweek
Who is Nadeen Ayoub? Miss Palestine to Compete in Miss Universe
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Nadeen Ayoub is set to make history this November, as the first Miss Palestine contestant in the Miss Universe pageant. Announcing her entry, 27-year-old Ayoub, who was was first crowned Miss Palestine in 2022, said: "I carry the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced." Nadeen Ayoub in Miss Universe Palestine press materials. Nadeen Ayoub in Miss Universe Palestine press materials. Miss Universe Palestine Why It Matters On October 7, 2023, Hamas led an attack against Israel, which killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 people. Since Israel has launched a massive counteroffensive in Gaza, and more than 62,000 people have been killed, according to The Associated Press, which cited Gaza's Health Ministry, with a further 156.230 people wounded. Part of Ayoub's mission is to challenge perceptions of Palestinians and empower women and children. Her message of hope comes amid heightened concerns about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza, and fears of the potential starvation of civilians. She will join competitors from over 130 other countries and territories, including Israel, which is represented by Melanie Shiraz. What To Know Ayoub was raised in Palestine, the U.S, and Canada. Beyond competing in beauty pageants, she is a humanitarian and fitness coach. She holds a degree in Literature and Psychology and is a wellness and nutrition coach. She made her journey into pageantry after her university graduation, and she previously worked with women as a fitness and mental health mentor in the West Bank. Press materials shared with Newsweek by Ayoub's team in response to a request for comment detail that, "Nadeen's decision to join Miss Universe stems from a powerful mission: to humanize Palestinians and challenge global stereotypes, showing the world that Palestinian women are not only resilient and beautiful but are also leaders, innovators, and changemakers." These press materials also detail Ayoub's advocacy, which is focused on championing sustainability, promoting health and wellness, and empowering women and children. Ayoub is the founder of the Olive Green Academy, a sustainable content creation and AI-focused agency. Ayoub recently told the outlet, The National that she was supposed to go to Miss Universe after competing in Miss Earth in 2022, but decided to postpone due to the conflict. "I wanted to focus more on staying behind the scenes because the spotlight was supposed to be on the people in Palestine who are suffering, rather than me," Ayoub said. Carrying the flag for Palestinians at the Miss Universe contest comes as many countries have moved to recognize Palestine as a state, something which is supported by the majority of Americans. What People Are Saying Ayoub, in a post shared to her Instagram said: "I am honored to announce that for the first time ever, Palestine will be represented at Miss Universe. Today, I step onto the Miss Universe stage not just with a title—but with a truth. As Palestine endures heartbreak—especially in Gaza—I carry the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced. I represent every Palestinian woman and child whose strength the world needs to see. We are more than our suffering—we are resilience, hope, and the heartbeat of a homeland that lives on through us." What's Next The Miss Universe pageant will take place on November 21, 2025. After this, Ayoub intends to pass on the Miss Palestine crown.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Prevent Scandals And Lost Customers: Lessons From E.L.F. And Swatch
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 09: Steven Bertoni interviews Matt Rife at the Forbes Top 50 Creators Celebration at Forbes on Fifth on November 09, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by) Getty Images There have been a number of brand missteps lately that has droves of consumers and even governing organizations weighing in. And while brands are not perfect, these unforced errors are all avoidable. Recently, consumers of cosmetics brand E.L.F. Cosmetics were upset because the brand posted an ad featuring comedian Matt Rife. In his Netflix special a few years ago, Rife made a joke about domestic violence that many women found distasteful. For consumers, seeing Rife in an ad with a brand they love and use – and one that is often touted for its commitment to inclusion felt like it was a betrayal of their brand values. People had a lot of thoughts about the ad on social media. Some on Instagram responded, 'And that's me not buying elf again.' Another shared, 'This is not it, poor choices. Lost another customer, and I hope you will think about your actions and pick better ones.' Another customer on LinkedIn wrote, 'I'm looking for a new liquid eyeliner recommendation.' E.L.F. made a statement acknowledging consumers outrage, but did not remove the ad from circulation (this angered consumers even more). As a result of the misstep, many consumers vowed to find another beauty brand to buy their makeup from. Watchmaker Swatch came under fire when it posted a series of photos to promote its Swatch ESSENTIALS collection, that included an image of a male Asian model pulling the edges of his eyelids back. Consumers, especially in China were outraged, as they felt the image showcased harmful imagery that has been used for a long time to denigrate Asian people. Consumers on social media in China were clear about their disdain for the ad. One person wrote, 'I am tossing out all my swatch watches and anything under your brand. Disgusted.' Another wrote, 'Unforgiveable and disrespectful.' And another said, 'Sack the entire marketing team and bar the ad company for making such an obviously taunting advertisement.' Swatch has since made a statement about consumer feedback and removed that image from the circulation. And an ad for Sanex body gel just got banned in the U.K. by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ad, reminiscent of a Dove ad that received a lot of backlash a few years back, featured two Black models that the voiceover described as having skin that makes them want to 'scratch day and night,' as well as, 'to those whose skin will feel dried out even by water.' One of these models appears to have dried mud caked on their skin. A white model then appears, with no visable skin concerns, along with the voiceover that says 'relief could be as simple as a shower.' The ASA explained why they ruled that the ad should no longer be shown in the current format, 'The ad was therefore structured in such a way that it was the black skin, depicted in association with itchy and dry skin, which was shown to be problematic and uncomfortable, whereas the white skin, depicted as smoother and clean after using the product, was shown successfully changed and resolved.' ASA acknowledged that they don't believe Sanex, whose parent company is Colgate-Palmolive, intended any harm with the ad. However, intention and impact are two separate things, and ASA felt the message the ad communicated, 'could be interpreted as suggesting that white skin was superior to black skin.' There is the obvious recommendations that you'll hear, such as having diverse team members who are representative of the people you are trying to serve. While building high-performing teams with diverse lived experiences helps brands produce better work, that is often a longer-term solution. One of the ways I recommend brands avoid these types of land mines is by testing campaigns with consumers before it goes live. Brands are often investing a ton of resources in these campaigns. Investing a little more to get a pulse of what the consumers you are trying to reach actually think about what you've produced goes a long way. China is an important market for Swatch. If they had just tested the campaign with even a few people in the Chinese market, they very likely would have gotten feedback about that image that wouldn't have cost them customers and turned into a PR nightmare. The key to doing to being effective with this type of testing includes two things that are often forgotten. First, brands should be sure to include consumers in the testing who are not only part of their ideal customer group, but who share the identities of people who are showcased or spoken about in your campaign. In addition, consumers participating in research will often answer the questions asked of them. If you don't ask them specific questions related to their identity and how they respond or feel about the campaign, you might not get the type of input you are looking for. I've found that very often marketers and uncomfortable bringing up specific areas of identity, such as race, and as a result, they miss the opportunity to get the meaningful and relevant feedback needed, that can prevent them from making an impact that isn't what was intended. Also, brands can't make culturally competent and intelligent campaigns and communications, if the teams doing and approving the work do not have cultural competence or intelligence. The team at Sanex said that they intentionally used models of different races in their ads to showcase diversity. Representation matters, but not all representation is good representation. A degree of cultural competence should have flagged problem areas of what the imagery could be interpreted as being portrayed. But if no one has that competency, ads like these will slip through over and over again. The solution for brands to deliver campaigns and communications that helps them acquire more of the people they want to serve, rather than pushing them away, comes down to upgrading the skills and practices of marketing teams, to align with the needs of the consumer of today. We are not in the same marketing environment we were in ten, five, or even three years ago. Today's consumer has evolved, and brands need to evolve their skills and practices according to win and keep those customers.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Behind 'Splitsville,' the year's funniest relationship comedy
There's only so much directing you can do when you send your lead actor, who is holding several bags of goldfish, in water, on a roller coaster with a 35 mm camera strapped to the front. You just have to trust. 'Splitsville' director and actor Michael Angelo Covino knew he could count on his friend and cowriter Kyle Marvin to deliver on the performance side for their slapstick comedy about messy relationships and messy people that opens in theaters Friday. The two also made the wildly funny friendship movie 'The Climb,' which they cowrote and co-starred in with Covino directing. 'He's like a modern-day Charlie Chaplin,' Covino said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. 'It's just all intuitive slapstick. He has it in his bones.' But there were a lot of other variables at play: Would they run out of light? Would it be as funny in execution as it was in theory? Would they regret fighting for the 35 mm camera? A lot was riding on the scene and reshoots were not in the cards. Independent films can't just go around shutting down amusement parks and mounting expensive film cameras on roller coasters whenever they want. 'It was sort of a powder keg moment on set,' Marvin said. The most stressful thing, however, was they wouldn't even know for sure that they got the shot for a few days. Something had malfunctioned with the camera, and they didn't have a digital recording. It was also the weekend, so they had to wait for the lab to process the film and send it back to them. 'I called the lab and I was like, 'Please, please don't (expletive) this up,' Covino said. How and why this brilliant, absurd sequence fits into their film, a comedy about open relationships, divorce and human mistakes, in which they star opposite Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona, is probably better left for audiences to discover themselves. But it's the kind of comedy that Covino and Marvin specialize in. Leaning into unlikable characters The premise for 'Splitsville' arose from conversations with friends who just seemed a little too confident in their worldviews. 'Nothing is funnier than someone with a lot of confidence, because they're generally wrong in some way, shape or form,' Marvin said. 'One thing that we love is to put a character's feet on an inevitable journey and then just make it harder and harder for them.' 'Splitsville' starts with a big moment and continues escalating from there. The film begins with Arjona's character Ashley telling her husband Carey (Marvin) that she's unfaithful and wants a divorce. Distraught, he continues on to his married friends' house where he finds that Paul (Covino) and Julie (Johnson) are happily non monogamous — that is until Carey and Julie hook up. They had noticed in French and Italian films from the 70s, from the likes of Claude Sautet and Lina Wertmüller, the characters just state 'the thing,' like 'I'm in love with your fiance,' right out of the gates. 'There's a efficiency of story and character. It charges the film,' Covino said. 'We just gravitate toward movies where things happen and characters do crazy things.' This meant, in part, not being too worried about their characters being 'likable' or sending them on redemptive arcs that we might expect in a more mainstream romantic comedy. They're not out to punish the cheater. Nor are they out to make a hero out of the one who didn't. 'There's things not to like about all of them in some ways,' Covino said. 'But that's, to me, what makes them human. People do bad things, but if we can understand why there's something more there. There's humor to mine.' Adding the movie star element Unlike 'The Climb' which featured actors who weren't exactly household names, 'Splitsville' has recognizable stars in Johnson and Arjona. In the film, there are more than a few jokes made about the 'beauty gap' between the characters. They heard the same off camera too. 'There were a lot of notes about, 'How are we gonna get people to buy that these two guys are with these two women?'' Covino said with a laugh. 'We were like, 'Hey guys, we're right here. We are the guys.'' They consider themselves 'extremely lucky' that Johnson and Arjona wanted to make 'Splitsville.' Not only did they bring the characters to life in ways that they couldn't have imagined on the page, but their star quality adds something intangible as well. 'They hold the screen,' Covino said. 'Dakota can just sit there and when you fix the camera on her face, it's mesmerizing. When she's on screen, it takes a lot of the pressure off of the story and all the other things because she's so captivating. I think there's something really beautiful about that especially given what this story is trying to do with these two idiot guys who are orbiting around these women.' Not being afraid of dumb jokes Covino and Marvin didn't set out to tackle issues of relationships and marriage. If conversations emerge after the fact, that's gravy, but ultimately they have one goal: Make an entertaining film. Often times, that means not shying away from the dumb jokes. Their films are cinematic and they know all the auteurs to reference, but they're also silly and slapstick. They draw as much from Blake Edwards, Elaine May and Mike Nichols as they do from 'Dumb and Dumber' and 'Me, Myself & Irene.' In other words, they're making comedies for everyone, not just cinephiles. Occasionally they doubt themselves and worry that something is just too dumb to print. But then they remember the bit with the dog's name in 'The Jerk,' a movie they find both cinematic and one of the dumbest movies ever. 'It's a dumb joke, but there's brilliance in it,' Covino said. 'Independent film is so in flux. The more entertaining we can make these films, the like better chance all of this has.'
