One thing about history is that it’s written by the winners, that is, those in power. They are the ones, who enjoy the greatest privilege imaginable: they describe, and therefore create, the reality in which everyone else lives – including those, who do not belong to such elite circles. This leads to a situation, where the popular narrative conveniently excludes nationalities, ethnic groups or minorities, some of whom aren’t always minorities, if we were to look at sheer numbers.
When we talk about the discovery of America, we praise travelers and colonizers, that is winners, often forgetting, that it is also the history of conquered indigenous peoples, whose history, tradition and culture have often been completely wiped out in the process. Although the United States is an example of a country, that emerged from an immigrant population, until the mid-1960s there was racial segregation that prevented blacks from sitting in the front of a bus, doing certain jobs or studying at universities, among other obstacles.
The hardships of women in many places around the world were, and often still are, very similar. The most talked about scientists, explorers, politicians and social activists are usually male, though for hundreds of years women have been discovering, acting politically and initiating scientific breakthroughs. Did you know, for example, the Wi-Fi technology was in part made possible by actress and inventor Hedwiga Kiesler (1914-2000)?
Now, how well has art history been managing all that? Quite similarly, in fact. Knowing that art was from the earliest times at the service of rulers and the Church, no wonder it is these two powers that in some cases to this day decide what will be built, painted or carved, and just as importantly: how. Therefore, the history of art until recently is the history of primarily brave men and service-minded women as well as of white people excelling in all possible fields. Ethnic minorities (who, once again, were not always minorities) were usually depicted as curiosities, a byproduct of the fashion for orientalism or exotic topics related to, for example, geographical discoveries.
However, the walls of the status quo are slowly crumbling down, and all those, who have so far been pushed to the margins of the main narrative, finally regain their voice. In painting (because this is what we will focus on today), they show that religion and mythology are the heritage of all of us and everyone has the right to draw from these motives and reinterpret them, so that they reflect their own history as well.
Have a look at our selection of images below and discover a re-written history in which everyone – regardless of nationality, gender or skin color – is equally welcome.
transl. Jakub Majchrzak
Harmonia Rosales, „The Creation of God”, 2017
Harmony Rosales has reinterpreted Michelangelo’s famous fresco depicting the „Creation of Adam”. The artist not only introduced female characters, but also flipped the title. It is no longer the creation of man, but the creation of God by man.
Harmonia Rosales, „The Birth of Oshun”, 2017
Venus, born out of sea foam according to the myth, was the symbol of beauty. The artist shows, that there is no one-size-fits-all standard of female beauty. Modern Venus has short hair and vitiligo, a disease that has for hundreds of years excluded people from fully participating in social life.
Harmony Rosales, „Annunciation of a Woman”, 2018
What would the history of the world be like if the God described in the Bible was a woman and Mary gave birth to a girl? The alternative versions of biblical events presented by the artist provide great food for thought.
Harmonia Rosales, „America’s Civilized”, 2017
A pair of indigenous people in Africa and America dressed in typically European costumes are described in the title as "civilized". It is a perfect metaphor for how the colonizers forcibly imposed their culture and tradition on the natives.
Marc Padeu, „The king is dead”, 2019
The Descent from the Cross, but full of colors? Marc Padeu translates the scene into a completely different cultural context, where patterned fabrics refer the indigenous African people’s clothing that breathes an air of vividity into the painting.
Marc Padeu, „Le Printemps”, 2019
March Padeu’s Spring is a reinterpretation of Botticelli’s Spring. The composition and gender of the characters are the same as in the Renaissance canvas. What changed is the skin color of the mythological heroes, thanks to which the myth can resonate with new audiences.
Marc Padeu, „The Blue man of Njombé”, 2019
This modern-day take on the scene that depicts Doubting Thomas is an interesting spin on the biblical story and a way to bring it closer to young people nowadays.
Marc Padeu, „Le souper a Penja”, 2019
The painting clearly refers to the theme of the Last Supper. Particularly noteworthy is the fact, there is also a woman at the table, who was not among Jesus' disciples in the biblical story.
