Diverted by the RN
To grasp reality, the philosopher Roland Barthes affirmed that it was necessary to decipher its “signs”, the most emblematic objects and, even more, their presentation. In two videos, one aimed at the French, the other at women, posted online on June 13 and June 17 in the run-up to the legislative elections, Jordan Bardella, the president of the National Rally, appears seated behind a desk with in the background on the left the reproduction of a lithograph in blue-white-red colors. We recognize Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Marianne d’Obey, the pseudonym of the American Shepard Fairey. This fervent defender of minorities, engaged in Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008, is however far from sharing the ideology of the National Rally, which targets immigrants and claims national preference. Contacted by M, the street artist is sorry about this reappropriation: “The far right diverts from its meaning an image which symbolizes fraternity and living together, to make it mean something completely different, nationalist withdrawal. » By displaying this lithograph, Jordan Bardella, whose staff did not respond to our requests, kills two birds with one stone: he targets a young electorate and he taunts Emmanuel Macron, who had made this work his mascot during his 2017 presidential campaign.
Loaned to the Elysée
It was in February 2017 that this Marianne appeared in Emmanuel Macron’s campaign HQ. The painting belongs to Jean-Marc Dumontet, then close advisor to the En marche! candidate. “The idea was not at all to make it a communication tool,” defends the show producer, who wishes to point out that he “lent and not given” the work to the President of the Republic. Invited twice to the Elysée, Obey admits to having been flattered to see his Marianne hanging in the corner office of the palace. “Emmanuel Macron was a better choice than Marine Le Pen”, confides the artist. The painting has since been taken down from the presidential office. “But she is still somewhere at the Elysée”, affirms Jean-Marc Dumontet, who finds “ideologically shocking” the recovery of this image by Jordan Bardella. “Basically, it looks like a little plagiarist. »
Available in fresco
Obey had imagined this Marianne in support of the victims of the attacks of November 13, 2015. The image, whose graphics are both a political tract and Art Nouveau iconography, was declined the following year in a monumental fresco on the facade of a building on Boulevard Vincent-Auriol, in the 13e district of Paris. Attached to the spirit of sharing conveyed by his work, Shepard Fairey has made this image open source, allowing anyone to download it for free from obeygiant.com, his site. “This Marianne has something universal, she makes sense for everyone”, he said, before adding: “She does not belong to any political party. »
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