21st Century Maroon Colony » africa


Women Are Heroes by Brew

For all of the Parisian Maroons, there’s an amazing exhibition going on in Paris right now…Women Are Heroes by French photographer JR. The exhibition features portraits of over 70 women that JR encountered in the shantytowns, favelas and villages of Kenya, Brazil, Cambodia, and India. These women are the faces of struggle, stability, violence, poverty and strength, holding together their families, communities and the world through their grace and resilience. JR shows these women, with their lives carved into faces and their struggle worn on the backs, in the light that women should be seen in — the foundation and pillars of society. The works are pasted all over the city — on the walls, on the the bridges, on bricks and houses — the society’s foundation etched in the foundations of the city.

Women Are Heroes on the Ile Saint Louis in Paris

Women Are Heroes on the Ile Saint Louis in Paris

I heard that the best view of the installations is from a boat ride around the city. And be sure to stop by he Pavillon de l’Arsenal where JR has reconstructed the oldest house in the oldest favela in the world (the house was dismantled and brought from Rio de Janeiro).

Women in Brazil

Women in Brazil

There are also photos taken in the various countries, where the women’s portraits were installed in the center of the cities that they support.

Women in Kenya

Women in Kenya

For those of us not in Paris, see more pictures from Women Are Heroes here.



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amsterdam, surprising africa + more by ekene

hello people! this is my first blog post. so listen! the thoughts of 21 x and mc are everywhere! i am in holland for a day more and tonight. im going to rotterdam to make things happen at da circle of sole.

im going to be posting somethings concerning how what and why i have been in amsterdam this weekend! so many positive things are happening with africans in african and europe! people such as francis kere and architect from burkina faso and zina saro-wiwa a nigerian film maker, nontsikelelo ‘lolo’ veleko a street fashion photographer from south africa, and emer beamer an irish graphic designer who i met yesterday at surprising africa have made me think what am i doing and what am i going to do! also people i met in so much information! so much happening in the inside and outside of africa i have not seen. you can read more at http://www.picnicnetwork.org.

if you are in amsterdam and you want me to see what youre doing you can email me at ekene at 21maroons dot com. im going to italy next week and then its all thinking, designing, and blogging! the end! but… to be continued.

ps this is amsterdam but also i have to blog something for what i was doing in london and the states this summer!



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