Rust Red

Africa is known for its bold, unapologetic use of colour. Stories are told in pigments, tones and hues; a kaleidoscope as diverse as the cultures and peoples of the continent. For the initiative Colours of Africa, a collaborative project with Google Arts & Culture, we asked 60 African creatives to capture the unique spirit of their country in a colour which represents home to them.

The projects they have created are personal and distinct stories of Africa, put into images, videos, texts and illustrations. Each artist has also attempted to articulate what being African means to their identity and view of the world.

Colour:Red Rust
Country:Comoros

Artwork Rationale:

How to choose a single colour when you live in an environment as colourful as the Comoros Islands? I live in a tropical archipelago where mountains and beaches come together to find balance. My island is home to the Karthala volcano, which explains the thousands of black volcanic rocks that cover a good part of our Ngazidj.
Which colour to choose? If I had taken the easy way, I would have turned to the blue of the ocean that surrounds us or the green of the tropical forests of our land. Green has also been the country's emblematic colour for several generations. But no, I didn't want to go down that road, I didn't feel the vibrations and the energy enough.
I chose to approach the Colours of Africa project with naturalness and spontaneity. Quite simply by looking down on the city, and walking through its streets. It was the energy of the city that I wanted to capture and I quickly understood that I had to move towards a warm colour.
The red became obvious as I walked around. But not just any red. A rusty red. Why?
For several reasons.
First, because it is the colour that invades the tin roofs of houses, under the accelerated action of sea air. The ocean is therefore intrinsically hidden in this rust red. But it is also the colour of a paint called ‘Rustproof’ that we local artists use frequently here. We often work on metal and it is essential to apply this anti-rust paint before working, to protect our work.
Many hate the rust here because it eats away at metals and creates problems. But I like the rust. I like the tones and texture within its gradients, where we will find an infinite number of colours ranging from brown to orange, including red.
Little by little, it is able to cover huge surfaces and transform a cold and metallic area into a festival bought in a jar of Rustproof paint. I chose a black tin plate that had rusted well as a canvas and began to paint without giving too much thought. I also allowed myself the use of a little black (in oil) and orange (in spray) in order to be able to contrast the creation a little more.
I worked on an abstract piece but with the letter ‘S’ as a basis because my work has focused on the letter for many years. The resulting piece is my Colours of Africa submission.

What it means to be African:

This is a difficult question without falling into stereotypical postures or attitudes.
The quest for identity is a fundamental aspect of my artistic research, and that's not easy given the cultural mix that defines my life. But I will try to answer this question as sincerely as possible.
In my opinion, being African is above all living or coming from this very special land. It is also feeling close to her.
My parents are both from Comoros, from the same village.
I was born in Paris. I grew up there because the political position of my father against the mercenaries landed him in prison and my mother was left with 3 dependent children, supported by Amnesty International.
I was fortunate in my teenage years to live in Comoros. This time nourished my bond with this land. Bonds that were strengthened by discovering his story, a story linked to mine through my father's convictions.
My wife is white. My daughters are mixed. We all live in Comoros today where we are happy.
I am committed to painting there, to building projects with young local artists.
For yesterday, for today and for tomorrow. Because I am African.

Biography

Hakim Idriss is the creative director of Swana Studio, an arts collective in Comoros. Idriss is based between Paris and Moroni, the capital of Comoros and is an 'urban calligrapher', graffiti artist and experienced art director . These two hats have allowed him to collaborate with many international brands.
Swana’s creative members have worked together for a long time. The formation of a combined endeavour was initially inspired by Idriss’ two simultaneous professional trajectories.
One as a graffiti artist, in which he is commissioned to create various murals and projects around the world. Examples include typographic creations for MontBlanc (Paris, London, Spain, Dubai, New York, Bombay), but also event stagings for brands such as Microsoft, L’Oreal, Lacoste, HSBC, TF1, CANAL+, Elle, Pizza Hut, and Sony.
During his work, Idriss met Thamud Mellouk, Hamou and Tcharo – talented individuals with the same passion as his own and with whom the Swana project was conceived.
This group of versatile artists went on to formulate a hybrid studio that works as a communication agency, a design agency and a creative studio. Their various artistic specialities mean that together they could produce live creations in every possible medium.