Raphael Barontini: We Could Be Heroes

Vibrant tapestries of historical fragments celebrate forgotten heroes and the triumph of resistance

French artist Raphaël Barontini (born 1984) finds his inspiration in the homage paid to the figures of historical liberation movements. In a collage style combining photography, silkscreen, painting and digital printing, he creates “paintings in motion” that take a fresh look at history while questioning the very status of painting in the museum and public space. Flags, banners, tapestries and ceremonial capes are superimposed with historical images to create immersive scenographies that question the representation of power and its inversion. For Barontini, questioning the canons of history around cultures and territories that have experienced slavery or colonization remains his priority. Thus he seeks to establish a counterhistory through the representation of heroes, real or imaginary. We Could Be Heroes plunges readers into Barontini’s artistic universe, illuminated by art historian Cheryl Finley and Prix Goncourt–winning author Patrick Chamoiseau.