Microsoft’s Ad Agency Asked Artist Shantell Martin to Paint a Black Lives Matter Mural While It Was ‘Still Relevant.’ Her Response Shook the Internet

by admin

Jun 10, 2020

artnet

The advertising firm McCann and its client, the technology
company Microsoft, are facing swift blowback after asking the
artist Shantell Martin to paint a Black Lives Matter
mural on the plywood-covered windows of a shop on 5th Avenue in
Manhattan “while the protests are still relevant.”

The offer, which Martin publicized on her social media accounts,
came from a McCann employee asking the artist to paint the
mural while “the boards are still up,” giving her just four
days to complete the job.

“We love your work and would be very excited to partner with you
as a Black artist in the New York City community,” the email
reads.

Apparently the folks at @microsoft and McCann Erickson feel that that the
#blacklivesmatter Movement and protests will
not be relevant after this weekend. pic.twitter.com/4zNPw5FbDH

— Shantell Martin (@shantell_martin) June 6, 2020

In an extended comment on the email published on Instagram,
Shantell wrote:

“Here’s an example of what it’s like to A) [be] reminded of my
Blackness, B) how Black pain and oppression is commodified with
performative allyship C) what systematic racism looks like within
corporations.”

She added: “MOST IMPORTANTLY D) apparently the folks
at @microsoft and McCann Erickson feel that that
the #blacklivesmatter Movement and protests will not
be relevant after this weekend. Education and Accountability must
occur in order to see REAL change. Supporting equality only when
it’s popular is in itself a form of racism.”

"background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">

View this post on Instagram

Here’s an example of what it’s like to A) reminded
of my Blackness, B) how Black pain and oppression is commodified
with performative allyship, C) what systematic racism looks like
within corporations and MOST IMPORTANTLY D) apparently the folks at
@microsoft and McCann Erickson feel that that the #blacklivesmatter
Movement and protests will not be relevant after this weekend.
Education and Accountability must occur in order to see REAL
change. Supporting equality only when it’s popular is in itself a
form of racism. #AreYouYou

A post shared by Shantell Martin
(@shantell_martin) on Jun 6, 2020 at 11:20am PDT

Since Shantell’s post went viral, Microsoft’s chief
marketing officer, Chris Capossela, and McCann’s CEO, Harris
Diamond, posted public apologies on Martin’s Twitter feed, but the
artist told AdWeek that she had not been
contacted directly.

Martin is no stranger to working with advertising agencies and
other companies, having successfully sold her signature
black-and-white line drawings to companies like Vans, Facebook, and
the rapper Kendrick Lamar.

She’s also no stranger to racism, telling an AdWeek
reporter that she was once barred from entering a building for a
meeting while her white assistant was let in.

“Those are the day-to-day things we have to deal with as Black
people,” she told AdWeek, adding that “at least three” other
artists contacted her saying they got the same email from
McCann.

Update: Martin sent a statement to
Artnet News following publication. It reads:

Obviously, I didn’t share this lightly. I took some time to
digest it but after a few days, I really felt that I couldn’t sit
silent. As an artist, that does have an extensive background with
working with institutions, agencies, brands and other entities, I
felt that I was in a position to really share it with the intention
of not “slamming” the parties behind the email, but with the
intention of shedding light on why and how these types of
things happen. It goes without saying that capitalizing on
what could arguably be the biggest Civil Rights Movement in the
World is unacceptable from corporations, especially when there is a
lack of real action and support behind their motivations.
It’s not to say that they shouldn’t play a role, but it has to
come from an authentic and meaningful place
that is followed through with real action, internally and
externally. Another thing that should be
addressed, and hopefully will change, is the way that artists and
creatives are exploited during these times. Unlike the
relationship with athletes and their sponsors, the model of brands
working with artists is very transcationary and doesn’t invest in
the career and success of the artists themselves.

We can create models where such relationships and
partnerships work, it just takes time, commitment, and hard
work.