http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7357648n
Recently, Beyonce did a photo shoot with for French magazine L'Officiel Paris. It was a shoot that used her as a symbol for racial reconnection though particular ethnic clothing choice and makeup making her skin appear much darker than it is in reality. The photo shoot was aimed to be a tribute to Nigerian cultural roots, but sparked much controversy because of the fact that Beyonce's skin was darkened with makeup. This sparked controversy due to the fact that this was something done in America during times of cultural oppression to represent black people. Though I personally find this to be merely a tribute to the Nigerian culture, I do think it is rather interesting how it is highly taken into account the details are. The details meaning not just the "blackface," but the choice of clothing being seemingly animalistic and tribal, assuming that all Nigerians are not as civilized as whites and wear clothing that make them appear stereotypically fierce and wild. This is done keenly by using Beyonce, who happens to be of African decent, as the model. If this had been a model that had not been of African decent, it may have been looked at as even more offensive and controversial (i.e the America's Next Top Model episode) Beyonce, being an artist who posses her alter ego as a woman named "Sasha Fierce" allowed for the magazine's editors to use her for the editorial thinking she would be the good figure to represent this culture. Still, regardless of her race and artist portrayal, the public found this to be offensive and controversial do to American history of societal oppression through similar representations of blacks.
