Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, have arrived at the Louvre for a sightseeing day that coincides with the making of their Apeshit video. Referencing the Louvre’s world-renowned permanent collection, juxtaposed with contemporary dancers occupying this hallowed space, Apeshit makes some pithy, if scattershot, comments on racism, slavery and the dominance of western neoclassical aesthetic standards. Here are a few key moments to look out for:
Mona Lisa
The video is topped and tailed by the Mona Lisa. Smirking, tight lipped, she side-eyes Jay-Z and Beyoncé, whose bright blaxploitation power suits outshine her matron’s weeds and announce that, just for one day, the Louvre is going to be occupied by people you usually never see in its paintings. You just know that Lisa’s going to call security.
The Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon and the Coronation of Empress Joséphine
Dancers of all colours gyrate in front of the image of French pomp, Imperial arrogance and self-gratification: The Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon and the Coronation of Empress Joséphine. Of the painting, I’ve never seen so many white people in one place before and I’ve been to Bestival. That said, replacing painted, sprawled, objectified, naked, white, nameless, historical women with writhing, objectified, naked, nameless, 21st-century women of all colours (as they are 40 seconds later, when they’re lying like logs on the steps) doesn’t seem a great leap forward to me.
Portrait of Madame Récamier
One of the most potent moments is the image of the reclining Madame Recamier. Painted in the 1800s, it shows a rich wife in neo-classical garb reclining on a couch. Beyonce adds what is not in the picture but would have been: two black dancers posing as servants, in head-wraps, still and docile, at the woman’s feet; the silent, unremembered and invisible labour behind the woman’s wealth and finery. Indeed, Apeshit is partly a reminder of all the non-white faces that have been erased from history or dropped in tokenistically to add a bit of exotic colour.
The Raft of the Medusa
The aftermath of colonialism and slavery, and the ongoing scandal of the refugee crisis, is beautifully referenced in a shot of The Raft of the Medusa as Jay-Z sings: “Can’t believe we made it.” The Raft is an image of enslaved and subjugated people who have lost all hope but that of life; luckily for Beyoncé and Mister Beyoncé they are now “living lavish” on top of that.
Portrait D’Une Négresse
But how far have we come? Apeshit rounds off with the Portrait D’Une Négresse, whose sardonic look implies that plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose. She and so many other women of colour have seen it all before, and the pace of change is painfully slow. Painted six years after the abolition of slavery, this woman is given a painting of her own – but remains nameless and inert, with one breast out for everyone to ogle.
